


Stray Hearts Are Subject To Change

by Queen_Whovian



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Abuse, Abused Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders Has PTSD, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders Has Panic Attacks, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders is a Mess, Cat Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Cat Hybrid Virgil, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders is a Good Friend, Established Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Everyone Is Gay, Happy Ending, Hurt Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Hybrid AU, Logan is his roommate, M/M, Minor Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Morality | Patton Sanders is a Good Friend, Morality | Patton Sanders is a Sweetheart, Patton is a vet, Physical Abuse, Remus and Roman aren't brothers, Roman is an acting student, Roman is trying to help Virgil, Slow Burn, Someone help Virgil, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, no one dies, pls be safe, they go to school together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-01-26 01:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 81,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21366088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_Whovian/pseuds/Queen_Whovian
Summary: Virgil escaped the darkness to crawl his way into an alleyway. He was sure that laying on the concrete would be how his story ends. That is until Roman Prince showed up.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 938
Kudos: 1013





	1. Welcome to The City

Virgil didn’t know how long he had slept on the ground. All he knew was that  _ everything _ hurt. He hadn’t meant to break the rules. There were so many to keep track of. His back was pulsing with every heartbeat along the lines where the leather broke the skin. Virgil stuffed his sleeve into his mouth to keep from sobbing loudly. He had to repeat the rules.  _ Don’t speak too loudly. Don’t exist until needed. Don’t get in the way. Don’t make…  _ Virgil whined past his sleeve as he tried to sit up.  _ Don’t make eye contact… and don’t ask for anything…  _ His knee slipped, sending him back to the ground, yelping as he slammed into the ground. He fell silent for a moment, waiting for any more pain. It didn’t come.  _ He must be asleep…  _ Virgil lifted his head, looking around the room. It was dark but slowly, ever so slowly, his eyes were adjusting. There was a window open! Virgil blinked.  _ It’s just a trick of my eyes…  _ It wasn’t…! It was  ** _open!_ ** Virgil’s arms shook as he pushed himself off the floor again. He could leave. He could escape so easily… but where would he go? His mind filled in the answer for him.  _ Anywhere. I can go… anywhere.  _ Everything still hurt but… the fresh air felt good on his skin as he pushed himself out of the window. He was crying when he hit the concrete outside of the warehouse. He had to keep moving… He didn’t know where he was going but he knew that he had to keep moving.

Roman knew that living in New York would take some getting used to. He had been raised in a pretty quiet area. New York City really was the city that never slept. He tossed and turned the first few nights. He could never sleep peacefully with all the racket. Roman moved through the apartment, practicing loudly, “My name is Roman Prince and I will be performing a monologue from William’s Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, spoken by the character Antipholus,” He turned to face his roommate, Logan Berry, and, after taking a breath and a beat, “My liege, I am advised what I say, neither disturbed with the effect of wine, nor heady-rash, provoked with raging ire, albeit my wrongs might make one wiser mad. This woman lock'd me out this day from dinner.”

Logan chuckled as Roman pranced around the room, taking a sip from his mug. Roman spun, striking a pose, “That goldsmith there, were he not pack'd with her, could witness it, for he was with me then; Who parted with me to go fetch a chain, promising to bring it to the Porpentine, where Balthazar and I did dine together-” Roman let out a breath, sitting across from his friend, “I don’t think it’s dramatic enough. Or like… comedic enough. What do you think, Logan?”

Logan shrugged, “Roman, you know I have no interest in the acting community. You look and sound wonderful as always.”

Roman frowned, putting his head in his hands, “Oh, come on! Just give me your honest opinion, Glasses!”

Logan rolled his eyes, pushing up his black-framed glasses, “Roman… I think that you chose a very different character than you’re used to and it’s brilliant.”

Roman let out a breath, “Thank you!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman moved down the street, watching as people walked with their hybrids. He felt his nose wrinkle at the sight. He was from a small town, most of the “pets” that he grew up with were actual animals and not genetically engineered half-human creatures. Only the wealthy really could own hybrids, they were pretty expensive to buy from legal breeders with proper documentation. It reminded him of all those lessons about the Civil War, honestly, forcing an entire race to be servants. Roman knew that most hybrids were treated fairly well. There were laws against abuse cases but they were still just animals in society’s eyes. It was awful, really. Roman had seen the first few laws against abuse casing come to light but it barely made a dent. Breeding dens were illegal, experiments (Yes, actual experiments) were illegal as well but Roman knew that there were still wonderful creatures trapped in bad situations. Hybrids were ridiculously loyal to their owners, forming bonds almost as soon as they met. Roman shook his head to clear his thoughts. He was going to be late for class. 

It was nearly dark out when he got out of his last class. He fished out his phone just in time to feel an arm drop around his shoulders, “ROMAN!”

“What’s up, Remus?”

“DeeDee and I are gonna go get some food, wanna come?”

Roman looked over at Remus, they weren’t exactly close but… Roman grinned, “Nah. I’m just gonna go home tonight. I have to work on that monologue that’s due tomorrow. Do you have your’s memorized?”

Remus smirked devilishly, taking a bite from his deodorant. Roman rolled his eyes. It wasn’t really deodorant. He had asked Dolos, Remus’ boyfriend, after sitting through an entire class and watching as Remus bulldozed his way through two packs. Dolos had closed his eyes and sighed, disappointed, and explained that Remus simply liked to “fuck with people, it’s marshmallow fondant”. Remus patted Roman’s shoulder, “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then, Prince. Don’t get lost and don’t jump in front of any cars!”

“I literally-... Yeah. Okay. You too, Remus.”

Roman waved at Dolos, who gave a tiny smile. He wasn’t really into showing emotions unless it was for Remus. Roman grinned as the two boys intertwined their hands and began to walk away. Roman let out a breath and looked down at his phone.

** _Message Received from Logan _ ** **📚**

_ If you stop by the store on your way home, grab paper towels and some milk. We’re all out. _

Roman chuckled to himself and quickly started the walk towards the convenience store and then home. The store wasn’t busy besides the few college students milling around. He stared at a pack of beef jerky before grabbing it. He could hear Logan already.  _ “It wasn’t on the list!” _

Roman rolled his eyes. It  _ was _ his money. He shrugged to himself before going to checkout. The walk home from the convenience store was peaceful as usual. He was right next to his apartment building when he heard a slight ruckus that peeled from the alleyway next to him. He spared a glance for a moment but saw nothing. It was just an empty alleyway, a few big trashcans, and the usual clutter. Roman shrugged to himself and quickly entered the building. His mind was screaming at him to go back and investigate but… He hadn’t lied when he said that he needed to work on his monologue.

Virgil had smelled the human long before they appeared. He was so tired and way too hungry to care until he realized that they were coming closer. He had practically fallen off of the trashcan to hide from sight. The wounds on his back had slowly closed, the scabs itched and cracked whenever he moved wrong. … He moved wrong a lot. His stomach growled and he leaned back against the wall.  _ God… I’m exhausted…  _ He slumped onto the ground, curling around himself as tightly as he could. This alleyway didn’t smell like any other living beings… It would be safe for the night… Maybe… just maybe, he could find some type of food in the morning. His stomach cramped at the idea of not finding anything. He wanted to cry but found no energy to draw the tears to the surface. He leaned his head against the sidewalk and felt the energy drain away from him. His mind whispered to draw close to the darkness calling to him. Virgil welcomed it gladly, escaping from the chill in the air and the pain in his stomach.

Roman stretched over his head as he trotted down the stairs, a bag of trash in one hand and his bag of jerky in the other.  _ Yes, _ he brought it with him because there was no way in any type of story that he would leave his wonderful snack for  _ Logan  _ to eat. Roman tossed the bag into the large trashcan and froze when a clatter sounded behind him. He spun, “Who’s there?”

The alley was empty but… Roman didn’t believe in ghosts. … Yeah, he did but not in alleyways like this one. This one was pretty well lit. He glanced around. It really was empty. It seemed like it at the very least. Roman took a deep breath.  _ It’s time to be brave, Roman.  _ He peeked around the corner of the trashcan and froze. A hybrid was shoved into the corner between the wall of the apartment building and the trashcan. He was shaking, dirt coating the tattered pieces of clothing that were too flimsy to provide any sort of comfort from the approaching fall chill. Roman blinked and slowly moved to stand in front of the hybrid, hoping to ease his apparent fear but he just pressed closer to the wall. Roman quickly shook his head, shushing the whimper gently, “Hey… Hey, it’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt you… It’s alright.”

The hybrid didn’t stop shaking and he curled into a tighter ball. Roman’s mind raced to comprehend the scene in front of him. A hood covered his head, where he got the torn hoodie, Roman didn’t know, but it covered his, probably very, sensitive ears. The only reason that Roman was sure that he was a hybrid was the tail that was wrapped around him just as tightly as his arms were. Roman took a deep breath to steady himself, “Where’s your owner? It’s not safe without-” The hybrid shook his head, “... you don’t have an owner?”

He slowly looked up and Roman felt his breath catch in his throat. His eyes were brilliant reflections of the light behind Roman’s back, two swirling pools. Except that his left eye was a bright blue, leaving a dark brown to take his right eye. Those eyes scanned him before glancing down and fixing on the bag in Roman’s hand. Roman followed his gaze to the bag of jerky, “Are you-... Are you hungry? Here,” He dug a small piece of the dried meat out of the bag, offering it on a flat palm, the hybrid flinched back,  _ hard _ , and Roman felt his heart drop, “No. No. Look, it’s food. Just… take it. It’s alright.”

He continued murmuring encouragement until the little creature slowly reached out a shaking hand to take the food from Roman’s hand. He was cold. As soon as the hybrid’s grip closed around the morsel, he retreated back into his corner. Roman knew that if he moved forward, the hybrid would panic and that’s the last thing Roman wanted. So he sat, crossing his legs as the hybrid in front of him nibbled at the jerky cautiously before practically shoving the piece down his throat. Roman blinked and choked on a laugh as the hybrid looked up at him, nose twitching slightly, “Do you want more?”

A tiny nod answered him. Roman smiled, “Okay. I’ll give you the bag but can I get a name, little Storm?”

The hybrid took a breath and sank into his hoodie, “... V-...”

“V?”

“... V-... Virgil…”

Roman nodded, “Okay, Virgil, I’m Roman Prince. It’s good to know that you can talk. Here. You take this. You seem hungry.”

Virgil stared at the bag of beef jerky before snatching it away from Roman’s grip. Roman chuckled quietly, “Very hungry then… Just take your time... You've got it."


	2. Trust is a Delicate Thing

Roman tried to make sure that he stopped by the alleyway every day after classes. He was a little attached to the hybrid that had taken up residence in the alley. Although, he didn’t know why. Virgil was quiet and obviously didn’t trust people. Roman had only been welcomed in because he had offered food and a safe space. Roman stuffed a few granola bars into his bag, along with a few veggie/meat wraps and a water bottle, “I’ll be back, Logan!”

“Okay. Be safe on your nightly adventure.”

Roman laughed at the sarcasm that dripped from Logan’s lips, “You’re just mad because Patton has to work the graveyard shift at the clinic.”

Logan grumbled and Roman shook his head. Logan’s boyfriend, Patton, worked in a vet clinic near campus, they handled almost everything from hybrids to normal pets. Roman had thought about calling Patton about Virgil but he knew that the little hybrid would never let someone actually get close enough to touch him. It was getting colder and colder at night as fall approached steadily. Roman hurried downstairs, holding his bag to his chest. Roman tugged his own jacket closer to himself as he exited the heated building. It was getting cold. The alleyway was quiet but Roman knew that Virgil was hidden well within the small area. Roman put down his bag at his feet, working on getting it open to retrieve the food. It was nearly silent around Roman and he looked up, reeling back as he saw Virgil sitting in front of him, “Jeez!”

Virgil flinched back, “S-... sorry…”

“No. No, you didn’t do anything wrong. You’re just really quiet. Here. Look, I brought some wraps.”

Virgil shrugged, falling silent once more. He didn’t like talking. Roman smiled and worked the plastic off of one of the wraps before offering it, “Here. It’s got meat in it. Ham, pepperoni, it’s good.”

Virgil slowly took it and retreated, sliding a few steps back. Roman put the water bottle on the ground, sliding it towards Virgil before sitting on the ground. Virgil took a sniff of the wrap. He was cautious of almost everything that Roman handed him.  _ It’s like he’s been handed poisoned food before…  _ Roman felt his gut twist at the thought. Virgil’s nose twitched and he took a cautious bite of the wrap. Roman let out a breath, “Are you keeping warm?”

Virgil looked at him for a moment before shrugging again and continuing to eat. Roman could see a shiver wrack his thin frame every once in a while. He was obviously cold. The hood twitched slightly along with the tip of the black tail that laid on the pavement. Virgil looked up at the entrance to the alleyway and then back to his food. Roman turned just in time to see a lady jog past, not sparing a second glance to the side.  _ Very good ears.  _ He glanced back over at the hybrid, “Do you think I can take a look under your hood?”

Virgil shook his head, tugging the hood further over him. Roman sighed, “Okay. Fair. I’ve gotta go inside now.”

Roman stood, throwing his bag back over his shoulder. He didn’t expect anything from Virgil which is why he froze when he heard a quiet, “... Thank you…”

Roman looked over his shoulder and smiled, “Of course. You know if you ever want to come inside-”

“ ** _No._ ** ”

Roman blinked at the terrified stare that was fixed on him. He nodded, “Okay. No inside then. I’ll see you later, Virgil.”

Roman closed the door to the apartment and Logan looked up from his book, “... You’re back?”

“Yeah.”

Logan closed his book with a solid thump, placing it on the arm of his armchair, “Where have you been disappearing to?”

“Wha-... Me? Disappearing? Now, that’s,” Roman chuckled nervously, “That’s a trick, Specs.”

Logan… well, he didn’t look impressed. Actually, he looked quite peeved as he adjusted his glasses. Roman’s inner anime nerd filled in the picture. Logan looked ridiculously like Kyoya Ootori from  _ Ouran High School Host Club _ . Roman shook his head to clear that thought. He did not need that can of worms opened. Logan stood, clasping his hands behind his back. Roman shrunk. He was stronger than Logan, he worked out more frequently than his more academically leaning friend but Logan was tall, he had a few inches on Roman… and intimidating. Logan raised an eyebrow, “Roman.”

Roman didn’t understand how Patton kept  _ anything  _ from Logan, “... I… can’t tell you?”

Logan’s eyebrow arched higher, “Don’t make this difficult, Roman.”

_ Fucking- _ “... There’sahybridinthealleywayandhe’sreallyskinnyandIjustgetworried,  _ Okay?! _ ”

Logan blinked, his supercomputer brain racing to comprehend what the fuck just came out of Roman’s mouth, “I-... I’m sorry?”

Roman took a deep breath, dropping his backpack to the ground, “Fine!  _ Fine! _ You wanna know where I’ve been going-?”

“Obviously.”

Logan was infuriatingly calm about  _ everything _ . Roman huffed, “Okay. I’ve been going out to the alley.”

Logan’s eyebrows furrowed, “The alley…? Why?”

Roman started pacing the living room, “Because! Because, a few days ago, I was coming home from class and-” Roman took a deep breath, “There’s a stray hybrid living there.”

Logan’s eyebrows unfurled and his eyes widened, “Oh.”

Roman averted his gaze from Logan’s piercing blue eyes, “He doesn’t have an owner or… he doesn’t want to go back to his owner-”

“The best thing for him would be to call the control offices.”

Roman’s gaze snapped back to Logan, “What?! NO! No way. Logan, you should see the way he shakes! He doesn’t even want to be within five feet of people. He’s scared and he’s so skinny. We are not calling the control offices! They’ll lock him in a cage.”

Logan held up his hands and Roman knew, with fury settling in his stomach, that his roommate (and closest friend) was trying to calm him down, “I was just suggesting. We don’t have to call anyone. … Except maybe Patton. He’d know how to handle this. He’s one of the best veterinarians at Pet Agree and you know that he’s one of the kindest people we know.”

Pet Agree was the pet clinic that Patton worked at. It was a high end place. A good clinic to take any pet that needed treatment and Patton was the sweetest person that he knew. Roman slowly nodded, “Can we, maybe, wait a few days before calling Patt? I just- I think I’m building some type of trust with Virgil-”

Logan cut him off, smooth voice slicing through his sentence without a second thought, “ _ Virgil? _ ”

Roman nodded again, “Yeah. That’s his name.”

“Did you name him?”

“NO. He told me. Anyways, I think I’m building some trust. I’d like to keep it before destroying it by bringing a  _ stranger _ into the mix.”

Logan sighed, running a hand through his hair, “Fine. We can wait to call Patton in but we  _ are _ telling him that we have a stray so he can be prepared.”

Roman wanted to argue with Logan but something in his gaze silenced every comment that Roman had stored up. So, he fell silent and nodded in agreement, even though his stomach rolled with discomfort. 

Patton tapped his fingers against his desk, trying to keep up with the beat of a nonexistent song. He closed his eyes with a sigh. He loved his job but having an emergency area of a Vet clinic and working the graveyard shift dragged on his body. He’d rather be wrapped up in his wonderful boyfriend’s arms, sleeping soundly or letting Logan read to him. He whined, putting his head on his desk. Drew chuckled, “You good, man?”

Patton nodded, lifting his head slightly, “Missing my boyfriend.”

“... Yeah. I feel that.”

Patton grinned, sitting up straight, “Oh?”

Drew’s cheeks went pink, “Ah… Well... You know that dude that came in with his sweetheart of a pitbull?”

“Lewis, right? You took the dog because the new girl didn’t want to take her.”

Drew nodded, “Yeah… Well, we… He gave me his number after and… we went on a few dates… He… We kinda kissed last night…”

Patton gasped, “Really?! That’s wonderful, Drew! I’m so happy for you!”

Drew smiled, “Thank you. … Isn’t that your phone?”

Patton raised his eyebrow and then looked down, finally noticing his phone screen continuously lighting up, “OH! Yes, thank you. Totally didn’t notice that,” Patton swiped answer as soon as he saw his boyfriend’s name, “Hey, Sunshine!”

_ “My love. Roman and I are in a slight predicament.” _

Patton’s eyebrows creased, “Oh? What’s wrong?”

Logan sighed,  _ “Well, I’m unsure if I should tell you. No one’s hurt, so don’t worry.” _

“I’m not worrying. Just... tell me what’s going on, Logan.”

Drew looked up with a raised eyebrow and Patton waved off her worry as Logan took a breath, Logan would have a fast and easy way to communicate an actual emergency,  _ “Roman… has found a stray hybrid-”  _ Patton’s breath caught in his throat, stray hybrids never lasted long on the street, they were easily snatched by illegal breeders or by worse people,  _ “-He’s been taking food to it. It’s taken up residence in the alleyway next to our apartment. Eventually, once Roman feels like their trust is built up enough, would you be okay with taking a look at it?” _

“Yeah. Of course. Just… let me know when… Does Roman know what type of hybrid they are?”

There was quiet talking over the line before Logan returned,  _ “No. Would you care to explain why? Roman’s slightly panicked now.” _

Patton dug through a few files and pulled out a breed watch list, “It’s just that some hybrids are more sought after and it makes it really dangerous to leave them on the streets for too long.”

_ “What are some of the breeds?” _

Patton flipped through the papers, “White rabbits, patterned dogs, like Dalmatians and such, black cats… and a trait that’s really popular right now is heterochromia eyes. Could you ask Roman if the little one has different colored eyes?”

Roman was standing next to Logan as he spoke on the phone, sitting in his armchair. Logan nodded, “Yes. Okay. I’ll ask Roman,” Logan looked up at his roommate, “Does Virgil have different colored eyes?”

Roman nodded immediately, “Yeah. His right eye is brown and his left is blue. Why?”

“It’s a popular trait right now. He could be worth a lot of money.”

Roman’s stomach dropped as Logan turned back to the call, continuing to trade information with Patton. If Virgil was worth a lot of money, someone might try and grab him if he was seen. Roman swallowed thickly. Virgil was good at hiding but he was so small compared to any human, maybe standing at 5 feet tall, but Virgil rarely stood where Roman could see. Anybody could grab him and just run. Roman shook his head. His body was screaming to go check on the hybrid. Logan glanced up at him and nodded, mouthing, “You can go.”

Roman barely choked out a thank you before running out of the apartment.

Virgil sipped from the water bottle that Prince had left behind. He was nestled into his hidden corner of the alleyway. It was tucked away from view of the entrance. It wasn’t very warm but… he could handle it. The cold was better than being trapped inside. He reached up, tugging his hood further over his ears. His stomach felt a little less empty after eating the… wrap that Roman had brought him. He was a weird human but Virgil was grateful nonetheless. Virgil tightened the lid of the water bottle and leaned against the wall. He was about to fall asleep when footsteps sounded in the alleyway. He picked up his head as Roman’s voice sounded, “Virgil?”

Virgil groaned under his breath and pushed off the ground, his body was a little sore still. Pain pulsed down his back and he grimaced as the cloth of his shirt dragged against the wounds. He crept around one of the trash cans. Roman looked at him and Virgil could see his shoulders relax, “There you are. You scared me, Stormcloud.”

Virgil settled back onto the ground, pulling his hoodie closer to him. It was barely in one piece but it covered the scars that littered his arms and he felt like he could breathe comfortably. Roman slowly sat down on the ground and Virgil scooted back just a little. Any close space made him feel trapped. Roman smiled softly and Virgil looked down. He really didn’t trust any source of hope anymore… His heart felt like lead. His instincts were screaming at him to go closer to the human that had been feeding him and trying to get Virgil to trust him.  _ Stupid fucking genetics. _ He was supposed to be naturally trusting so that people  _ wanted _ to buy him, to take him home. Virgil squeezed his eyes shut. His instincts are what landed him in that… building in the first place. It wasn’t a home. It was a prison. The man that bought him, his  _ owner _ , had been tall, charismatic, and, honestly, what Virgil had been hoping for when he turned the proper age to be adopted, kind and loving in the store, perfect behind the ear scratches and quiet praises that made his heart sing. Then they had gotten home. Rules were made and enforced religiously. Virgil was left in the dark, locked in a room with little to no food for days on end, no physical contact besides a harsh hand, and his instincts still enforced that  _ he _ had been the one in the wrong, not his newfound owner. “You look tired, V…”

Virgil pried his eyes open, clenching his fist into his arm to try and keep him in that alleyway and not in that little, dark room. Roman hadn’t moved any closer, just put his hands in his lap. Virgil gave a half shrug, reaching up to try and pull his hood further over his ears. He knew that he adjusted it way too often. His ears were covered, he was safe, but he kept doing it.  _ Instincts. _ New, yes, but instincts nonetheless. Roman couldn’t pull at his ears if they were covered. No one could. Roman gave another tiny smile and Virgil wanted to push into his arms. Once more.  _ Stupid. Fucking. Genetics. _ He didn’t trust Roman. He didn’t but he knew that his instincts would win eventually. They always did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman woke up to thunder outside of the apartment, shooting up as the sound rocked the room. He let out a breath as it faded away, leaving nothing but the pounding of the rain against the window.  _ Just a storm,  _ his mind whispered and Roman was content to lay back down and continue sleeping. He was almost there, listening to the pitter-patter of rain against the window, when another boom of thunder and flash of lightning tore through the air and Roman wretched himself out of bed.  ** _Virgil._ ** He was trying to tug on his shoes as fast as possible in the entryway, raincoat hanging off of his right arm, when the light turned on behind him. Roman slowly turned. Logan was standing in the entrance to the small hallway that led to the bathroom and their bedrooms. He crossed his arms, looking too much like a teacher, even in his Doctor Who pajamas, “... What are you doing?”

Roman stared at him and then spoke, “It’s pouring buckets out there.”

“Yes.”

“... and thundering.”

Logan nodded, adjusting his glasses, “I’m aware.”

Roman gave a worried grimace, he was trying to go for a smile, “It’s a really bad storm.”

Logan sighed, “Wait here,” and turned back into the hallway.

Roman worked on tugging on his shoes and his raincoat. Logan returned with an umbrella, a folded blanket, and a few older towels. Roman blinked as Logan shoved the items into his arms, motioning to the blanket, “It’s waterproof and quite warm, fleece lined. Should do the trick for…  _ wherever _ you’re going.”

Roman stared at his roommate. Of course, Logan knew what he was doing. He knew that Roman, the guy who was still afraid of the dark at 24, was running into the storm to check on a stray, and yet he was still handing his friend stuff to help him. Roman hoped that his smile seemed a little more real, “Thank you, Logan.”

“You’re welcome. Stay warm and take your key.”

Roman made sure to stuff his set of keys into his pajama pockets before rushing downstairs. The rain was near deafening as Roman exited the building. It wasn’t too windy, meaning the umbrella wasn’t completely useless to him after all. Still, he tugged up his hood. Water flowed down the gutter at the edge of the sidewalk as Roman’s footsteps echoed against the pavement, loud with the water. The alleyway was drenched but, at the very least, the wind couldn’t tear through it like it did on the streets. Roman didn’t even know if Virgil slept here. It was likely that Virgil just came here to scavenge for food. Roman shook his head to clear his thoughts before calling out for the hybrid, “Virgil…?”

His voice barely carried over the rain around him. Nothing happened. The alleyway stayed mercilessly empty until a crack of lightning shattered the darkness and then there were arms wrapping around his midriff. Roman jumped, looking down. Virgil was soaked through and pressed to his front as tightly as possible, shaking. Roman blinked for a moment, letting his brain catch up before slowly shushing the hybrid clinging to him, “It’s okay… it’s just the storm. Here, can you hold this? Hold this, okay?”

Virgil shook as Roman gently pried his fingers away from the front of his jacket, offering the umbrella instead. He accepted it as Roman slowly knelt in front of him, shaking out a towel, “Virgil, I’m not going to take off your hood but I’m going to put this on top of your head and then another one on your shoulders.”

It was a useless endeavor to get him dry while rain poured over them but a little damp versus soaked would help in the long run. Virgil nodded, still flinching when Roman’s hands came too close to him. His knuckles were white around the umbrella handle. They were doing well until a clap of thunder echoed through the alleyway. Virgil shoved himself into Roman’s chest, burrowing into his shoulder as he shook apart, sobbing into the raincoat. Roman tried to shush him as gently as possible as he wrapped the blanket around Virgil’s shoulders, ignoring the umbrella digging into his collarbone for just a moment. As soon as Roman retrieved the umbrella, mostly there to keep the rain from pounding on Virgil’s thin, delicate shoulders, Virgil latched onto his front. Roman slowly leaned down, carefully balancing the umbrella as he scooped the hybrid into his arms. He settled himself against a wall, somehow finding a relatively dry spot to sit down. Virgil nestled further into his chest with every noise. When thunder and lightning came together, beating down on the pair, Virgil sobbed, begging, “Ple-... please! I won’t-...! Make it stop…!”

Roman’s gut twisted as he held Virgil all the more closer, “It’s okay… it’s alright… Nothing is going to hurt you while I’m here and I’m not moving.”

Roman kept his promises. He was a man of his word. During one of the moments where Virgil pressed impossibly closer to him, Roman watched as his hood slipped away, heavy and wet with rain. This revealed black hair and two perfect, pointed ears that were plastered to Virgil’s head.  _ Cat ears.  _ That solved that mystery. Virgil was, indeed, a cat hybrid. Roman couldn’t fight a smile. An alley cat… God, he was an idiot. The thunder and lightning was starting to fade away after hours of sitting in the rain. Virgil still shook but Roman knew that once he came back to the present, he would be pushing to get away from Roman’s embrace. However, instead, Virgil snuggled, actually  _ snuggled _ , into Roman’s chest, slowly beginning to go limp as the storm faded away. Roman sighed quietly as Virgil’s shaking stopped, leaning his chin on the hybrid’s head, being very careful of the newly revealed ears. He could catch some shut eye too.

Virgil woke up, wet and pressed against something warm. Something that smelled like… cinnamon? He let out a breath, trying to press closer to it. It was warm and nice and surrounded him on every side- something wet hit his ear and he twitched.  _ Wait. _ Virgil leaned away, looking up at the figure that he had fallen asleep on.  ** _Roman. Shit._ ** Roman was half asleep, Virgil could only tell from the way he breathed, not quite asleep but almost there. It took approximately 0.2 seconds for Virgil’s mind to sprint to the finish line.  ** _Get out._ ** Virgil shoved out of Roman’s arms, flailing to unwrap himself from the blanket,  _ what? Blanket?,  _ and put some distance between them. Roman startled awake, smacking his head against the brick wall behind him. He grimaced, placing a hand on the back of his head, “Fucking-...  ** _ow._ ** ”

Virgil was breathing heavily. He had slept in Roman’s lap. His ears were uncovered. He was wet and cold, that was his own damn fault for pulling away. Everything in his body was screaming for him to run away.  _ Runaway as fast as you can. Don’t turn back. He’ll punish you. You took his entire night from him. A good night’s sleep too, he slept on the ground because you are pathetic- _ “Virgil? Are you okay?”

Virgil was aware of two things, Roman had moved closer and he was reaching out to the hybrid. Virgil…  _ didn’t want to be touched _ . He didn’t. No matter how badly his instincts told him that Roman wouldn’t hurt him. A hiss, deep and brutal, ripped from his throat. Roman jerked back, “Okay. That’s a no. I’m not going to touch you unless you want me to. Okay? Here,” Roman held out the blanket on a fully outstretched arm, “Go ahead. Take it. It’s waterproof and it’ll keep you warm.”

Virgil’s breathing hadn’t slowed but he slowly, ever so slowly, reached out and snagged the blanket from Roman’s grip before retreating just as quickly. He tugged at his hood, pulling it on. It was wet and not pleasant but he felt better as soon as his ears were covered. He watched as Roman’s eyebrows creased but before he could say anything, Virgil bolted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman returned to the alleyway everyday after the storm. He left food and water but never saw Virgil. The food would disappear, obviously taken by the hybrid. Roman felt his heart start to drop with every passing day that he didn’t see Virgil. He had lost the trust that he had spent so long building up. As long as the food kept moving, Roman knew that Virgil was okay, he was eating. It was almost a week before he noticed that something was wrong. The food he had left that morning was in the same place as before. Roman blinked and took a step into the alleyway, “Virgil…? Are you here?”

There was no reply. Virgil was good at hiding. If he didn’t want to be seen, he wasn’t going to be. Still, Roman couldn’t just leave  _ again _ without making sure the little hybrid was still here and as safe as he could be in the alley. Roman peaked around the trash can that Virgil usually appeared from behind. Empty. Yet… there was a tiny opening behind the dumpster. It was too small for Roman but the opening seemed just wide enough for a smaller creature to squeeze through and hide in. He slowly moved to it, peaking in. It was a small alcove, probably an old drain that didn’t work anymore, and it had a small lump curled up in the middle, underneath a blanket. Roman swallowed slightly, “Virgil…?”

The mound shifted only slightly, Virgil’s head becoming visible as he looked over. Roman’s heart dropped. Virgil was pale and obviously in pain as he winced with every movement and sound.  _ Sick. He’s sick.  _ Roman took a deep breath, putting on a soft smile to hide the coiling worry inside his stomach, “Hey… hey, kitten. You worried me for a second there. Do you-... do you wanna come out? We can get you some water.”

Virgil shivered as Roman offered a hand. He knew that the hybrid wouldn’t want to take it but he had to try at the very least. Roman expected nothing, he didn’t expect Virgil to move or sit up or take his hand but, eventually, after crouching there for a moment, a cold, clammy hand wrapped around his, soft and delicate. Roman blinked at Virgil, who was obviously exhausted and just looking for warmth. Hybrids were engineered to be cute, some attractive, but mostly, they were designed to be soft looking things that could be broken so easily. Roman’s heart twisted, “Oh… you’re doing so good, Virgil. C’mon… just a little bit more.”

Virgil followed Roman’s quiet instructions until he was pressed into Roman’s chest, quivering every so often. Roman let out a breath, easily scooping him into his arms, “That’s good. That’s so good, Kitten. We’re-... we’re going to get you inside, all warm and cozy, okay?”

Virgil nodded weakly against his collarbone and Roman felt the worry uncurl for a moment. The trust was still there… He could get Virgil wrapped in blankets and warm and safe before calling Patton. He had put it off for too long already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had writers block so I took a slight break.
> 
> Reading comments gives me validation so thank you.
> 
> I love you all!! 
> 
> My Twitter Account can be found [ Here](https://twitter.com/else555)!


	3. Cinnamon

The apartment was warm when Roman pushed the door open. Logan looked up from his armchair and jerked to his feet when he saw the hybrid gathered in Roman’s arms, “Is that-?”

Roman nodded, partly out of breath, “Call Patton. Logan, call Patton.”

“Okay. I’ll get some blankets too.”

“Thanks.”

Virgil was shaking against Roman’s chest. His heart clenched at the heavy breathing that puffed against his neck. Roman rubbed gentle circles into his back, “It’s okay, Virgil. It’s alright.”

Roman slowly maneuvered Virgil onto the couch and went to pull away when Virgil latched onto him, “... w-wait… Ro…”

Roman ran his hands down Virgil’s arms, “What? What’s wrong? What do you need?”

Virgil’s face grew even paler if it was possible, and he ripped away from Roman, eyes wide and far away, “I-I don’t need anything…! I don’t-... I don’t want anything!”

Roman shushed him gently, “Virgil… Just tell me. You can tell me. I’ll get it for you. I’ll get you anything you need.”

Tears were beginning to form in Virgil’s eyes and Roman wanted to throw himself out the window. It could just have been from the fever but Roman officially hated it. There were footsteps behind Roman and he turned to take the blankets from Logan, who had his phone pressed to his ear, “Patton, are you at work?... Yes, I’m fine. … So is Roman. No-... My love, please,” Roman started wrapping the blankets around Virgil, who was still staring at him as if he expected to be hit, “Listen, Patton. Can you come over? … Yes…. We’ll see you soon.”

Roman sent to stand when there was a quiet whine from the hybrid behind him and he dropped back in front of the hybrid. Logan looked down at Virgil and then back at Roman, “He’s attached.”

Roman raised an eyebrow, tucking the blankets closer to Virgil, “Quiet, specs. It’s okay, Virgil. I’m just going to get you some water. Or tea? Do you want some tea?”

Virgil’s hands were shaking but he slowly reached out for  _ Roman.  _ Roman blinked, “What do you want, Kitten? Talk to me.”

Tears started dripping his cheeks as Virgil shook his head, “I-... I don’t want-...”

“Yes. You do… you want something and that’s okay. Just tell me. Tell me what you want.”

Virgil shook his head again, obviously torn between something. Roman’s heart was aching as he tried to make sense of the stuttering mess that was Virgil trying to explain. Roman didn’t want to touch Virgil until the hybrid was able to speak properly. Logan touched Roman’s shoulder. He turned and took the cool glass of water with a quiet, “Thank you, Logan.”

Virgil took the water from Roman, starting to take tepid sips. Roman let out a breath as the hybrid kept drinking. He was obviously dehydrated. Roman looked over his shoulder up at his roommate, “Where’s Patton?”

“On his way. He’ll just come in.”

Roman nodded, offering a hand to Virgil, hoping beyond hope that the hybrid-... Virgil took his hand, nails-  _ claws? _ \- scraping against Roman’s skin. Roman felt relief seep into his stomach. He wouldn’t let go of Virgil until the hybrid wanted him to. 

The door opened and Virgil’s eyes, the brown and blue sparkling in the light, snapped to the entrance. His grip on Roman’s hand grew tight and he pulled at Roman’s arm. Roman shifted closer to Virgil. He hadn’t moved onto the couch. Virgil seemed too tense to be trapped in a closed space like that. Patton rounded the corner, Logan had retreated into the kitchen when Virgil started shifting uncomfortably with another person in the room. Patton gave a small smile as Virgil stared at him, tugging at his hood with his empty head, “Hello, little one.”

Virgil swallowed thickly and Roman looked over at his friend, “Hey Patton.”

Patton was holding a side bag that he put on the coffee table, “Hey Kiddo. Do we know what Virgil is?”

Roman ran his thumb along the ridge of Virgil’s knuckles, hoping to sooth the hybrid, “Black cat…”

Virgil made a noise of surprise and Roman shushed him gently, “I saw your ears, Kitten. It’s okay. Do you want more water?”

Virgil shook his head, gripping the edge of his hood. Patton smiled softly and kneeled next to Roman on the ground. Roman hated how wide and terrified Virgil looked. Patton held up a hand, “I’m Patton. It’s really nice to meet you, Virgil. I’m just here to help. Roman wouldn’t let me hurt you,” Roman glanced over at Patton,  _ What are you saying? _ , “Right? He wouldn’t let anyone hurt you?”

Roman was officially confused but Virgil’s grip tightened around his hand and he nodded weakly. Patton smiled, “You’re a sweetheart, I can tell.”

Virgil behaved wonderfully throughout Patton’s check… until Patton asked to look at his ears and Virgil blanched visibly. He shook his head and Patton gave a tiny frown, “Honey, I have to look at your ears to make sure they work.”

Virgil shook his head again, “I-... No… They-... They work.”

“Do they hurt?”

“No.”

Patton let out a breath, “C’mon, Kiddo. You’ve done so well. I won’t hurt you. Remember? Roman-”

“Wouldn’t let you.”

Roman blinked and stared at Patton in shock. Virgil had been so slow to trust him in anything and now he was repeating Patton’s claim that Roman would never let anyone hurt him. It was true but still… Virgil glanced over at Roman and Patton gave him a look. Roman slowly nodded and then looked at Virgil, “Yeah, Kitten, let him look at your ears.”

Virgil’s hands shook but he let Patton pull the hoodie back and ease the pinned back ears up. It took a lot to get Virgil to take some medicine but he was asleep within almost a minute, curled into the pile of blankets. Roman worked on fixing a blanket over Virgil’s shoulder before joining the couple in the kitchen. Patton was writing something on his phone as he leaned into Logan’s chest. Roman pulled off his jacket and placed it on the counter, “What was with the whole I wouldn’t let you hurt Virgil?”

Patton looked up from his phone and stared at him, “You-... You don’t know much about hybrids, do you?”

Roman glanced at Logan, who gave a half shrug, “No?”

Patton sighed, “It’s a trick to get nervous hybrids to open up to vets. You’re not his legal owner but you have built a foundation of trust enough that Virgil believes, or at least his instincts believe that you wouldn’t let anything happen to him while you were nearby. Since he has a fever, he’ll probably be ashamed when he comes around.”

“Why?”

Patton folded his arms around himself, “He has scarring patterns that are usually found in abuse cases. I’ll bet my career that he ran away from his legal owner.”

Roman’s stomach dropped, “He was abused?”

Patton shrugged, “I would take it really easy with him. His instincts are probably telling him to find a new owner, which in this situation, would be you, Roman. His survival instincts are trying to tell him that any home life is dangerous.”

Roman nodded slowly, “What should I do?”

“Let Virgil come to you first. Don’t force anything- I’m not saying you would, I’m just answering your question. Offer help and make sure that Virgil knows that he can come to you. It’ll take a while but, eventually, he’ll warm up to you.”

“Okay. I can do that.”

Virgil woke up, warm and covered in something heavy and soft. He slowly pried his eyes open, trying to ignore the heavy feeling in his limbs. The vet, Roman had called him Patton, had given him some kind of medicine. It made his tongue feel weird and his mind heavy. Virgil pushed his head out of the blankets. He was in an apartment…? Roman had carried him inside. Virgil’s stomach turned. Roman had been kind so far but so had… Virgil nuzzled back into the blankets. They didn’t smell like Roman, that sweet cinnamon scent that eased Virgil’s nerves like wind over grass. It was an odd… paper smell?  _ Not as good as Roman. _ Virgil wrinkled his nose and shoved the blankets away from him, suddenly not comfortable with having the heavy warmth over him. He was still sick. He knew that. He could feel the illness dragging him down as he sat up. The apartment was dark. Virgil wasn’t sure how long he had slept. He should keep sleeping to try and kick this flu. He shook his head and slowly put his foot down onto the carpet. His sneakers were trashed. Then again,  _ all _ of his clothes were trashed. He felt filthy and he just wanted to take a shower. He couldn’t. He shouldn’t even move from this couch in order to keep the mess to a minimum.  _ Rules should not be broken.  _ Virgil stared at the coffee table in front of him, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the low light. There was a glass of water on a coaster, condensation still clinging to the sides. Virgil’s hands shook at the thought that Roman had left the glass for  _ him. _ He took the glass in his hands, relishing in the weight of having an actual glass, not just a plastic water bottle, in his hands. The water soothed the ache in the back of his throat. Before he knew it, the glass was empty. Virgil blinked at it. He had been more dehydrated than he thought. He cringed slightly at himself. He had looked at Roman when the vet had asked to see his ears. He had looked for permission as if Roman was his  _ owner _ . His mind whispered tauntingly,  _ there are worse owners to have. He’s been nothing but kind.  _ Virgil shook his head. Roman didn’t need a useless hybrid like him as a companion. Roman should just sell him and be done with it before he got hurt. Virgil’s heart dropped.

He had run away.

_ He _ would come looking. 

Virgil looked around the living room. There was a window next to a plush armchair… and a bookshelf. Virgil didn’t notice the bookshelf until he had a hand on the window frame. He should’ve kept moving but a familiar title drew his eyes back to the bookshelf. A book of fairytales sat, prim and proper, on the shelves, along with SciFi books and so many different titles. Virgil shook his head and worked on opening the window before the glint of gold caught his eye again. He hadn’t read fairytales since the pet store. He had to run. He had to leave and make sure he was never found again. Virgil’s shoulders shook. The window was open, cold seeping into the warm apartment. He could hear his mother’s voice as he was cuddled up to her side, a toddler,  _ “Once upon a time-” _

Virgil closed the window. He stared at the book from where he stood. He had dirt on his hands, probably something even worse. He shouldn’t touch it. He wouldn’t until his hands were clean. He glanced at the window once more before moving back to the couch. He could sleep. He should sleep… He nuzzled back under the blankets and felt his nose wrinkle at the paper smell. He didn’t like it but it was warm and… how could he complain about that?

_ He could complain. _ Virgil could complain a lot about that. It didn’t smell familiar and it made it nearly impossible for him to sleep. He drifted awkwardly between consciousness and sleep. He sat up one last time as the light clicked on. He spun.  _ You were too loud.  _ ** _Too loud. You woke them up. Worthless, Pathetic Hybrid. _ ** It was Roman in bright red pajama pants and a shirt with a gold crown on it. He rubbed at his eyes for a moment before looking down at Virgil with a tired smile, “Morning, Kitten.”

_ Kitten? Fuck.  _ Roman should just sell him. He could get a lot of money off of a black cat hybrid with heterochromia eyes. Virgil immediately sank into his hoodie, giving a tiny nod in return. Roman sighed, “Do you need anything, Virgil?”

_ Don’t ask for anything.  _ Virgil shook his head.

“You sure? A bath maybe? If you start one right now, you’ll beat Logan and you can have all the hot water. I can start making breakfast and you can eat with some clean clothes on.”

Virgil blinked up at Roman.  _ A bath?  _ Like an actual bath? Like hot water with bubbles and shit? Roman smiled, “Sounds good?”

_ Say no. You know that you’re not supposed to ask for anything.  _ Virgil nodded anyway, “Y-... yeah…”

Roman’s smile was blinding, “Awesome. Come on. We’ll get you set up with some clothes too.”

Virgil followed Roman around the apartment and into a bedroom. The covers on the bed were thick and looked about as soft as the bed that Virgil remembered from when he was young, still living with the breeders. Roman dug through his dresser and glanced over his shoulder at the hybrid standing in his doorway, “I’m guessing you like black.”

“Purple-... black… is fine…”

Roman rolled his eyes with a tiny smile and fished around a bit more before standing. Hybrids were naturally short- short is cute- but the foot that Roman had on Virgil made him feel even smaller. Roman led the way into a bathroom with a shower/bath combo. He placed the pile of clothes on the counter and retrieved a towel from underneath the sink. Roman explained the controls for the water before leaving, “Just lock the door and take your time. My shampoo is the suave if you want to use it.”

Virgil followed his instructions, locking the door behind Roman. He slowly started filling up the bathtub, adjusting the water temperature before starting to peel off his clothes. The grim stuck to his skin and he, truly, felt disgusting. His shirt was the worst. The dried blood had caked on his back and practically glued his shirt to his back. He winced as it pulled at the scabs. He waited for just a moment before sinking into the warm water. Virgil let out a breath of relief as the warmth soothed the ache in his bones and muscles. It was then that his mind kick-started. He could get  _ clean.  _ Virgil reached for the soap. The dirt slowly started to drip off of him, revealing the pale skin underneath. He sniffed at the shampoo and conditioner.  _ Cinnamon…  _ After washing his hair and the fur on his ears and tail, he felt a lot better. Better than he had in  _ months _ , actually. He shook the water out of his hair. He was unsure about looking at the clothes. He shouldn’t even have agreed to the bath but… the clothes smelled like Roman. He tugged on the clothes, relishing in the feeling of clean clothes on his skin. His heart pounded as he saw a purple, long-sleeved shirt and a hoodie in the pile of clothes. Roman didn’t even know Virgil but he knew that the hybrid hated having his arms, littered with scars, exposed to the world. When Virgil picked up the hoodie, a different piece of clothing fell out of it. He stared at it for a moment before stooping down to pick it up. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears and they twitched at the sound. It was a beanie, simple and knitted, but it was black and purple and Virgil wanted to cry as he tugged it on. It wasn’t tight around his head and it slouched perfectly to allow for his ears to sit comfortably… even sticking straight up. He tightened the drawstrings on the sweatpants. He would have to buy proper clothes if he was going to stick around-  _ IF  _ being the keyword. His tail always made it difficult for him to wear human clothes. He tugged on the hoodie and the pair of socks, they had little music notes on them, before slowly opening the door to the hallway. 

His ears pricked slightly at the sound of singing towards the living room and he followed the sound to a kitchen. He peeked in the doorway, trying to keep out of sight as much as possible. Roman was cooking over the stove, singing in… a different language. Virgil tilted his head, trying to catch some of the words but it was useless. He could speak English and understand it but that was his limit. He was bred and raised to be an  _ American  _ pet. Something that Roman was cooking smelt… delicious. Virgil’s stomach growled and he chalked that up to a win, even though he still felt sick. He must’ve made some sort of noise because Roman looked up and then grinned, “Hey. How was your bath?”

Virgil resisted the urge to duck behind the doorway, just sliding back a few inches to… hide behind the doorway.  _ Coward.  _ Roman chuckled and a small plate of eggs appeared in the doorway, “Hungry?”

_ Yes. _ Virgil slowly crept forward, watching as the taller human placed the plate at the table. Virgil waited until Roman walked back to the stove to crawl onto the chair and started eating. Roman looked over his shoulder, “There’ll be chorizo in a second, it’s pork. Some protein to get you started on gaining some weight again. Do you like the beanie? It was a white elephant gift a few years ago and I really don’t look good in purple but it suits you.” 

Virgil nodded, mouth full as he tugged at the edge of it. The beanie hadn’t moved since he put it on. He felt… so good. He wasn’t sure if he could stay here for too long but for now, Roman was safe… Virgil felt safe around him. He finished the plate of eggs and then waited for Roman to turn and blink at the empty plate, “Very hungry. As always. Good to see that your appetite hasn’t changed since you’re sick.”

Virgil shrugged slightly as Roman took the plate from him and dished out more eggs and some type of pork… The chorizo that Roman had talked about. Virgil looked up at him for a moment before standing quickly and wrapping his arms around Roman’s midriff. Roman stiffened and then placed a gentle hand on his head, “Hey… It’s okay…”

Virgil buried his face in Roman's shirt.

Roman smelled like cinnamon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even know what to say about this chapter. I had writer's block with the first part and then the second part just spit out at 1:30 in the morning. 
> 
> I love you all!! Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> My Twitter Account can be found [ Here](https://twitter.com/else555)!


	4. Fairy Tales and Bandages

It was a quiet weekend for the most part. Virgil slept on the couch for the nights, taking cat naps throughout the day. Roman hated November in New York. It rained way too often. It didn’t storm often but the weekend seemed to draw the clouds in. Roman and Logan were making lunch in the kitchen on the stormy Saturday afternoon, listening to the patter of rain. It was peaceful, oddly enough. Logan has turned on classical music as they cooked. Roman was happy to help in the kitchen. It was definitely one of his favorite things to do. The rain and music filled the kitchen and Roman had forgotten that they had a little guest. Virgil looked so natural in the apartment, never truly asking for anything until Roman offered. He didn’t take off the beanie that had been given to him, keeping it firmly pulled over his ears, but his tail was free to roam and roam, it did. It twitched and swayed through the air as Virgil went through his day. The tip would twitch in his sleep and Roman always wanted to run a hand down it, just to feel the fur. Thunder rumbled in the sky and Logan glanced at the window, “Looks like another storm.”

Roman sighed, watching as lightning flashed, “That’s annoying. I hate walking to class in the rain. I like the rain if I’m all cozy inside but that’s gonna suck.”

Logan nodded understandingly as another roll of thunder shook the windows. Logan closed his eyes in discomfort at the loud noise. Roman let out a breath, “Yeah, that’s a storm-”

A thump that came from the living room cut Roman off. Roman glanced at Logan before moving into the room, “Virgil…? … Kitten? Are you okay?”

Virgil had been sitting on the couch, a movie playing on the television. It was supposed to be something to help him calm down and sleep. He was still working on kicking his flu. Usually, movies worked but Roman was quickly coming to the realization that Virgil didn’t like loud noises. The hybrid was no longer on the couch, blankets flung to the side. Roman took a deep breath. The windows and doors were closed. Virgil didn’t leave the apartment. He probably found a small space to squeeze into, somewhere where he would feel safe. Roman couldn’t just leave Virgil to face the thunder alone. He stood there for a moment, thinking before moving towards the small space between the couch and the wall. He knelt down and slowly peaked into the small, dark area. Virgil was curled up into a tight ball, hands clamped over his head, his tail was wrapped securely around his legs. He had pulled up his hood over the beanie. He was shaking, Roman let out a slow breath, “Gatito. It was just some thunder. No one’s here to hurt you.”

Virgil looked up at him, his hands slowly slipping off his ears, “... No-... no one?”

“Yeah. I wouldn’t let anyone get you, Virgil. Do you want to come out now?”

Virgil shook his head, wrapping his arms around himself. Roman sighed softly and situated himself against the wall. He refused to leave Virgil alone like this, shaking like the roof was crashing down on him. Virgil was buried in his old hoodie, nose tucked into the collar. He didn’t move any closer to Roman but he didn’t flinch away when Roman sat near the opening of the shared space. Roman glanced over at Virgil for a moment, “Do you know Spanish, Virgil?”

“... no…”

“Do you mind if I sing to you?”

“... No?”

Roman nodded to himself, smiling softly at the stabilizing in Virgil’s voice, “_ Canta y no llores. Porque cantando se alegran. Cielito lindo, los corazones,” _ Roman listened as Virgil’s breath hitched softly, _ “De la sierra, morena. Cielito lindo, vienen bajando. Un par de ojitos negros, cielito lindo. De contrabando. De la sierra, morena. Cielito lindo, vienen bajando. Un par de ojitos negros, cielito lindo. De contrabando.” _

Roman kept his voice quiet and steady as the song washed through the air. Virgil listened silently, barely even breathing, but, as Roman approached the last verse of the song, he shifted slightly. The thunder rolled every so often and Roman’s voice stayed as consistent as it always had been. Virgil slowly unraveled himself and crept towards the opening, pausing every so often. Roman didn’t move as Virgil peaked around the room before carefully slotting himself next to Roman, practically crawling into his lap. Relief washed over the human’s senses. The hybrid was coming to him for help, for comfort. Roman had left a wide enough space that Virgil could’ve just escaped to a different area but, instead, he chose to nestle into Roman’s chest. Roman wrapped his arms around the shaking figure in his lap. He tried to keep as comforting as possible and Virgil didn’t seem to mind until… he yelped in pain, pushing away from Roman’s arms. Roman drew his arms back, murmuring quietly, “Está bien, gatito. Lo siento. I’m sorry. I’m sorry-...” _ Wait… _ He yelped… like he was in _ pain _, “Virgil… are you hurt?”

Virgil’s eyes grew wide, face draining of any color. He shook his head, hair sinking over his blue eye, “... n-no! No. No. I-... I’m not. I’m not…! I can’t-... it’s against the rules-!”

_ Rules? _

Panic gripped Virgil’s lungs as he started to spit out the constant spiral of rules in his mind. Years and years of “training” made a “perfect” hybrid, obedient and absolutely silent. Virgil didn’t want to talk about how badly his back ** _ached _ ** and it did. It hurt so badly. He could barely lay down but, in his mind, he knew. He _ knew _ that if he told Roman that it hurt, it would shatter this temporary peace that he had been living in. It was bound to happen sooner or later, right? Roman would figure out that Virgil was just a worthless hybrid with too many problems to be fixed. He would be gotten rid of. At least, Roman could make a few bucks off of him. … _ or maybe he wouldn’t even sell you. He could just toss you back onto the streets and let you starve. Like you should’ve done in the first place… _“I’m sorry- I’m sorry, Roman…! Please-! I didn’t- I didn’t mean to! I just-...!”

_ Rules. Rules, rules, _ ** _rules, RULES, VIRGIL! YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE RULES. _ **He couldn’t breathe. 

_ You remember how dark it was in that room! _

_ He’ll toss you back onto the streets. _

_ He’ll find you. _

_ You broke the rules. _

_ Don’t speak too loudly. _

_ Don’t exist until needed. _

_ Don’t make eye contact. _

_ Don’t ask for anything. _

_ Don’t get in the way. _

_ Don’t get in the _ ** _way. _ **

** _You got in the way. You asked for things. You made eye contact. You existed and needed and spoke and broke everything. _ **

** _you _ ** ** _USELESS-_ **

“Virgil! It’s okay! It’s alright! Breathe! Please, Kitten. Breathe!”

Virgil’s lungs tried to expand but he was trapped in his screaming mind as Roman struggled to bring him back from the edge of whatever this was. He had tears streaming down his face. He couldn’t control his own body, sitting as stiff as a board. It wasn’t until the back of Roman’s hand, just gentle knuckles, brushed along his cheek that Virgil choked on a sob, falling limp on Roman’s chest. His voice was broken as he spoke, trying to inhale as much of that sweet cinnamon scent as he could, “... I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Ro… I broke-... I broke a rule.”

Roman gently ran a hand down his hair, “What rule, Virgil?”

“... all of them… I’m sorry…”

“You… you didn’t break any rules. You didn’t, Virgil. You’re scared of thunderstorms-” Virgil sobbed weakly, the pain in his back doubled over the course of his fit, and Roman continued the gentle smoothing on the back of his head, “Kitten. Just tell me what’s wrong…”

_ Just spit it out. You knew it would end eventually. _ “... my back…”

“What about your back, Virgil?”

“... it-... it hurts… it hurts so badly…”

Roman’s hand slowed and Virgil stiffened along with it. This was it. Virgil would watch the warmth in Roman’s green eyes fade away and be replaced with nothing but the realization that Virgil was just a chore. Roman let out a breath, “Okay. Can I call Patton to come to look at it? I want to help but I’m useless with this type of stuff. You can stay right here. I won’t even move but I need to call Patton.”

A faint ray of hope blazed through Virgil’s mind. Roman wasn’t shoving him away. He was actually holding him a bit closer, being very gentle on his back, hands pressed against his shoulder blade and the small of his back. Virgil’s hands were bunched up into fists on Roman’s shirt. The human shifted, Virgil stiffening as Roman’s hand slipped away. _ No… no. Please-... I’ll be good. I swear-... _ Virgil couldn’t bear to look up, pressing his face into Roman’s shirt. He wasn’t strong enough to fight back if Roman pushed him off but he didn’t. Roman’s other hand, the one that rested gingerly on the small of his back, didn’t move, just rubbed tiny circles into his skin, about two inches away from Virgil’s tail. He could feel his shoulders slowly relaxing even as he sobbed into the cloth. Roman pressed his cheek to Virgil’s temple, murmuring quietly. _ Spanish? _ Virgil strained to catch any words that he might recognize, “... Está bien, Virgil. Estoy aquí. No voy a ningún lado. Estás a salvo.”

Virgil’s shoulders shook once more and Roman’s voice continued, “Patton-.... yeah, hi. … yeah. I’m fine. No-... Patton. Virgil’s back hurts. Could you come over? … lunch?... thirty minutes?... you would? … thank you. … yeah. I’ll see you soon.”

He was on the phone. Virgil’s nails scraped along the fabric of Roman’s shirt as he slowly loosened his fists. Roman slowly wrapped his arms around the hybrid, “Do you like fairy tales, V?”

Patton trotted up the stairs of Logan’s apartment building. Roman hadn’t explained anything beyond the fact that Virgil back was hurting, so he had packed a bag of a few supplies that might help. He knew that he didn’t have to knock when he came to Roman and Logan’s door. He slowly opened the door, peeking into the living room. Roman was sitting in the armchair that Logan had gotten, large and plush, a book opened in front of him. Patton smiled gently when he realized that Virgil was curled up next to Roman, practically in his lap, listening intensely as Roman read from the book, “And when the princess opened the door the frog came in, and slept upon her pillow as before, till the morning broke. And the third night he did the same. But when the princess awoke on the following morning she was astonished to see, instead of the frog, a handsome prince, gazing on her with the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, and standing at the head of her bed,” Patton didn’t speak, not wanting to shatter that peace that seemed to sink into the air, he glanced over at the couch and smiled as he saw his own boyfriend sleeping as Roman kept reading, “He told her that he had been enchanted by a spiteful fairy, who had changed him into a frog; and that he had been fated so to abide till some princess should take him out of the spring, and let him eat from her plate, and sleep upon her bed for three nights. ‘You,’ said the prince, ‘have broken his cruel charm, and now I have nothing to wish for but that you should go with me into my father’s kingdom, where I will marry you, and love you as long as you live.’”

Roman stopped reading as Patton closed the door and looked up, “Hey Patton.”

Virgil glanced over, almost absentmindedly, before clinging to Roman’s shirt. Patton smiled, “Hello again, Kiddo. Roman said that your back is hurting.”

Virgil nodded, nuzzling into Roman’s chest, trying to hide away from Patton. Roman shushed him gently, “Yeah. He said that it was hurting really badly and I don’t-”

Patton waved off the apology that he knew was coming, “It’s fine. I took a long lunch. Do you want to finish your story before we get into the not so good stuff, Virgil?”

Virgil nodded once more and Patton winked at Roman as he went to wake Logan for some well-deserved cuddles. Roman cleared his throat, “Okay. Where were we?”

“... as long as you live.”

“Right,” Roman adjusted himself in the seat and Virgil put his head against his shoulder, “The young princess, you may be sure, was not long in saying ‘Yes’ to all this; and as they spoke a gay coach drove up, with eight beautiful horses, decked with plumes of feathers and a golden harness; and behind the coach rode the prince’s servant, faithful Heinrich, who had bewailed the misfortunes of his dear master during his enchantment so long and so bitterly, that his heart had well-nigh burst.

“They then took leave of the king and got into the coach with eight horses, and all set out, full of joy and merriment, for the prince’s kingdom, which they reached safely; and there they lived happily a great many years. The end.”

Patton watched quietly from Logan’s arms as Virgil looked up, beanie twitching slightly, Patton recognized the body language of the cat, relaxed tail, curling slowly over the edge of the armchair, Virgil was relaxed, “... Can we read another one…?”

Roman glanced over at Patton and gave a tiny smile to Virgil, “I would, Little Storm, but Patton needs to look at your back. And then, I swear, we can read another one.”

Virgil looked over at Patton and shrank into Roman’s arms, Patton didn’t miss the grimace that passed over the hybrid’s face as the tip of his tail twitched nervously, “... okay…”

Virgil sat on a bar stool, nearly silent as he gripped Roman’s hand. Patton knew that the hybrid had probably started the process of imprinting on Roman. _ He’s probably the safest one here to imprint on, _ Patton thought to himself. Virgil’s instincts were strongly leaning towards the hide or stay small. His fight instinct seemed to be nonexistent. _ Definitely abuse. _Patton crouched slightly in front of Virgil, “Can I take off your jacket?”

Virgil’s eyes widened and he scooted slightly towards Roman. Roman took a step closer, running a hand down his arm, “I know you don’t want to, Virgil, but it’ll help. It will. I swear.”

Virgil looked up at Roman, “You’ll stay?”

Roman pulled another stool to sit next to Virgil, “Every second, gatito.”

Virgil slowly shrugged off the black jacket and Patton smiled, “That’s very good, Virgil. Now, I’m going to lift up the back of your shirt, just to look. You don’t have to take it off and Roman’s right here. Okay?”

Virgil nodded, pressing closer to Roman as Patton gently took the edge of the shirt and pulled it up. His heart dropped, “Logan! Get your first aid kit!”

Roman looked up, “_ What?!” _

Patton shushed him, “You focus on Virgil-”

“I am…! What-” Virgil’s shoulders shook at Roman’s raised voice and Roman immediately cut himself off, lowering his voice, “I’m sorry. Lo siento, Kitten. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you…”

Patton turned his attention to Virgil’s back once more. There were long, thin cuts that crisscrossed over his porcelain skin. A few were healing fine, somehow kept clean, but the rest were pink and swollen around the edges, a few droplets of blood clinging to the edges. Virgil’s body was fighting off the flu and infections at the same time and Virgil didn’t say anything. Patton let out a breath, “Oh, honey, why didn’t you say anything…?” 

Roman looked up again as Virgil pressed to him, his eyes scanned the wounds, turning terrified, “Patt… what the _ fuck?” _

“I was right about the abuse-” Logan placed the kit next to him, “Oh, thank goodness. Logan, will you help me? We need to clean the cuts.”

Logan nodded. Patton could tell that seeing the injuries had shaken his wonderful boyfriend. Logan was protective of his family and Virgil had been accepted into it, even after only two days. Roman murmured something to Virgil and Patton tried to give a comforting smile but he knew he absolutely failed, “Roman, we need to clean the cuts. He was in an alley before this. They look a little infected.”

Roman’s eyes grew cold, “Patton-”

“It’s going to hurt… just hold him, okay? I’ll do it as quickly as possible.”

Roman tugged Virgil a little bit closer to his chest, tangling a hand in the hair at the back of his head. Patton poured a small bit of rubbing alcohol onto a cleaning pad and took a deep breath. Virgil whined as Patton dabbed at the corner of a cut. Roman’s hand dropped to his shoulder, rubbing soft circles into the fabric of Virgil’s shirt. Patton didn’t want to force even more pain on to the little hybrid but he needed to so that he could bandage the little thing up. It took about ten minutes, including moments to let Virgil breathe, even if his breathing was just harsh sobbing into Roman’s shirt, to clean all of the cuts. Logan had grown stiff beside him, holding the shirt away from Patton’s area of work. Virgil went limp in Roman’s embrace, chest heaving as Patton started patching up the cuts with flat bandages. Roman lifted his head from where he had nestled into Virgil’s hair, “Are you almost done…?”

Patton nodded, placing another bandage onto Virgil’s back. He hated how absolutely ugly the white bandages looked against Virgil’s skin. One more bandage and then Logan dropped Virgil’s shirt, Patton pulled away, and Roman wrapped his hybrid in his arms, drawing him to his chest, “You did so good, Virgil. You did such a good job. We can read as many fairy tales as you want or watch a movie. Do you want to watch a movie, Kitten? We can get you some pain medication,” Patton started digging through his bag, “and then we can watch a movie and you can sleep. You did so well.”

Virgil was still crying but the sobs had faded away as Roman collected him into his arms. Patton handed Roman a small bottle of painkillers, “He can take two. They’ll help him sleep too.”

Roman nodded and worked on getting a glass of water for Virgil using one hand. Virgil wasn’t letting go anytime soon and when Logan went to take the hybrid from Roman’s arms, Roman tightened his grip and Virgil’s hands turned white from holding on to Roman. Patton put a hand on Logan’s arm, going to reassure his boyfriend that his oldest friend was just protective but Logan gently offered, “Let me get the bottle open.”

Roman blinked at him and then nodded, letting Logan take the bottle of pills and the empty cup, “You can go sit down with him. I’ll get this to you.”

Roman nodded slowly and left the kitchen. Logan filled up the glass as Patton washed his hands again. Patton leaned against the kitchen door and listened as Roman returned him and Virgil to the armchair, leaning it back a bit so that Virgil would be able to rest comfortably, “What fairy tale do you want, Kitten?”

Virgil’s voice was raw as he practically laid on top of Roman’s chest, “... I… I don’t know…”

Roman’s hand brushed down his back as he opened the book, “... How about Snow White?”

Patton didn’t move as Logan gave Roman the pills and the water. He didn’t want to disrupt the two on the armchair. Virgil took the medication without a complaint, he did sniff at the pills at first but he took them. He settled back onto Roman’s chest as Roman flipped through the pages, “Snow White…?”

“Yeah. Have you ever read it?”

Virgil was silent for a moment, “My mom used to call me Snow White.”

Roman chuckled quietly, “Well, then let’s read that.”

“... okay.”

Roman took a deep breath and cleared his throat before beginning, “Once upon a time in midwinter, when the snowflakes were falling like feathers from heaven, a queen sat sewing at her window, which had a frame of black ebony wood. As she sewed she looked up at the snow and pricked her finger with her needle. Three drops of blood fell into the snow. The red on the white looked so beautiful that she thought to herself, "If only I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood in this frame."

Soon afterward she had a little daughter who was as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as ebony wood, and therefore they called her Little Snow-White. And as soon as the child was born, the queen died-”

Patton was slowly pulled forward by Logan, settling him on the couch. Virgil glanced up at him with half-closed eyes before settling his gaze back on the book, “That’s sad…”

Roman chuckled, “Yeah… It is… A year later the king took himself another wife. She was a beautiful woman, but she was proud and arrogant, and she could not stand it if anyone might surpass her in beauty. She had a magic mirror. Every morning she stood before it, looked at herself, and said, ‘Mirror, mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is fairest of all?’ To this, the mirror answered, ‘You, my queen, are fairest of all.’ Then she was satisfied, for she knew that the mirror spoke the truth. Snow-White grew up and became ever more beautiful. When she was seven years old she was as beautiful as the light of day, even more beautiful than the queen herself,” Virgil shifted slightly, tucking his arms up to his chest, he looked exhausted, “One day when the queen asked her mirror, ‘Mirror, mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is fairest of all?’

“It answered, ‘You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But Snow-White is a thousand times fairer than you.’ The queen took fright and turned yellow and green with envy. From that hour on whenever she looked at Snow-White her heart turned over inside her body, so great was her hatred for the girl. The envy and pride grew ever greater, like a weed in her heart, until she had no peace day and night.”

Patton leaned back in Logan’s arm, relaxing into his chest. Roman’s voice carried through the air like cold water over a burn. Patton watched quietly as Virgil seemed to sink further into Roman, eyes sliding closed. Roman fell silent for a moment, adjusting himself, obviously letting Virgil get a little more comfortable and wrapped a throw blanket around his shoulders, before continuing the story, “Then she summoned a huntsman and said to him, ‘Take Snow-White out into the woods. I never want to see her again. Kill her, and as proof that she is dead bring her lungs and her liver back to me…’”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Está bien, gatito. Lo siento.- It's okay, Kitten. I'm sorry.
> 
> Está bien, Virgil. Estoy aquí. No voy a ningún lado. Estás a salvo.- It's okay, Virgil. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. You're safe.
> 
> The song that Roman was singing, if you want to check it out, is called Cielito Lindo.
> 
> OKAY. I actually really love this chapter. I took a break to get some sleep. I've been feeling a bit down lately but I'm just working through stuff. Stress gets the better of everyone sometimes. 
> 
> Don't forget to read your fairy tales, Kiddos.
> 
> Comments give me validation. Thank you.
> 
> I love you. <3


	5. Stay

Roman woke up on the armchair to his phone alarm blaring on the armrest. The book of fairy tales that his mother had given him when he turned six years old was resting on his lap, open to the story of Snow White. Virgil was sleeping soundly on his chest, curled into a slight ball. Roman clenched his teeth silently. He had class in about an hour and a half but Virgil’s weight on his chest made him want to go right back to sleep. Virgil was a warm pressure, his breath coming in gentle gusts. Logan and Patton weren’t on the couch anymore, they probably escaped into their bedroom to sleep. Roman eased a gentle hand down the back of Virgil’s head and slowly began to extract himself from the hybrid’s sleeping grip. He was halfway there, almost standing with Virgil balanced on the arm of the chair, when Virgil snapped awake, sitting straight up and clinging onto Roman’s shirt, “ ** _DON’T-!_ ** ”

Roman froze as Virgil panted for breath, eyes unfocused and far away, “Virgil… it’s alright.”

Virgil blinked, slowly focusing on the man in front of him. Tears started blooming in his eyes, the two colors growing glassy. His voice was rough, husky from sleep and screaming, “I-... I’m sorry… I didn’t-...”

Roman shushed him gently, “It’s okay. You had a nightmare, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Virgil wiped at his eyes with his hands, the hoodie had always been a bit big on him and the sleeves gave him sweater paws as the hybrid slowly reached out before jerking back. Roman hated that. Virgil took a shaky breath, tugging at the sleeves, “... where are you going…?”

“I have to go get ready. I have class.”

Virgil’s gaze snapped to him, “You’re leaving…?!”

Roman nodded, “For a few hours. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Why don’t you just go back to sleep?”

Virgil shook his head.

“Why not?”

A shrug answered him. Roman sighed softly, “Kitten… you look tired. Just sleep.”

Virgil shook his head once more and Roman laughed internally,  _ stubborn kitten _ , “Do you want to come into my room with me?”

That got a nod. Roman chuckled lightly, “Okay. … do you want me to carry you?”

Virgil stiffened slightly and Roman recognized the look in his eyes. The pained, torn gaze told him everything he needed to know. Virgil wanted to say yes… but had been so frequently knocked down, physically and mentally, that he couldn’t just voice what he wanted without being afraid. Roman gently wrapped his arms around Virgil, scooping him up to his chest. Virgil gripped his shirt, leaning his head against Roman’s shoulder as his tail curled around the human. He didn’t say anything but the tightening of his grip eased Roman’s heart. Virgil was light enough that Roman could carry him around for a while without getting tired. Virgil’s grip loosened slightly as Roman entered his room and settled him on the edge of his bed but he didn’t let go. Roman put a hand around his wrist, “Kitten, you’ve gotta let go.”

Virgil glanced around at the bed, “Am I allowed to be up here…?”

“Of course, Virgil. I put you up here. You can go anywhere in the apartment. Just lay back on the pillows while I get dressed, okay?”

Virgil blinked and slowly pried himself away from Roman before starting to explore the large bed. Roman started gathering his clothes, searching for a matching pair of socks. Roman lifted his head from tying his shoes when he heard a soft thump. He turned, ready to console an upset kitten when he froze. Virgil had flopped into the middle of the bed, stretching out fully, his arms reaching for the pillows. He was rubbing into the comforter before flipping over and curling up. Roman smiled as Virgil looked at him. His beanie had slipped off but he didn’t seem to mind as his ears, black and perfect, twisted around for a bit before perking up as Roman chuckled softly. His tail tip twitched and then curled slowly. Both certain signs that Virgil was feeling a little bit better. Roman put his chin on the edge of the bed and smiled as Virgil lifted his head from the comforter, “Are you having fun?”

Virgil nodded slightly, “... yeah… it smells like you…”

Roman’s heart clenched, “Oh? ... And what do I smell like?”

Virgil’s eyes glanced away for a moment and he nuzzled back into the covers, “... cinnamon.”

Roman raised an eyebrow,  _ interesting _ , “Do you like it?”

Virgil nodded again and Roman moved onto the edge mattress, “I’m glad.”

Virgil sat up, putting his hands on the covers, “Logan smells like paper,” Roman stopped and then laughed as Virgil wrinkled his nose, “I don’t like it.”

Roman couldn’t stop laughing, “Oh my god. Please, stay this sassy, Kitten.”

Virgil looked up at him, “It’s not sass-”  _ No, of course, it wasn’t, sass would imply that he’s talking back _ , “-it’s the truth.”

Roman shook his head, running a hand through his hair, “Right. Of course. How does your back feel?”

Virgil shrugged, “Better… P-... Patton..?”

“Yeah, Little Storm.”

“He… he did a good job. It doesn’t hurt to lay down anymore.”

“It hurt to lay down?”

Virgil snapped his mouth closed, looking down at his hands. Roman let out a breath, scooting a little closer, Virgil’s shoulders stiffened, “Kitten, why didn’t you tell me?”

Virgil shrugged, fiddling with his fingers, “I-... I don’t know…”

“Virgil…”

Virgil spit out the answer immediately at Roman’s quiet vocal nudge, “I didn’t want to be a burden…!”

Roman blinked, “Didn’t-...  _ oh.” _

_ Didn’t want to be a burden. _ Patton had said that he had been abused. Injuries like the ones on Virgil’s back didn’t come from any “accident”. Those were planned and done with the intent to hurt the creature, to hurt  _ Virgil. _ Whoever had Virgil before he landed in Roman’s lap, weak and quiet, didn’t deserve him. They didn’t deserve to watch those ears perk up and swivel as they caught subtle sounds from neighboring rooms or to watch his tail twitch or to be able to hold Virgil to their chest and protect him from thunderstorms or to read him fairy tales as he slept. Anger curled, red hot, in Roman’s stomach as his mind whispered about the chances of his old owner coming to find him, with his black fur and different colored eyes, magnificent and beautiful. Roman banished the thoughts away.  _ Not on my watch.  _ That person would  _ never _ lay a hand on His Kitten ever again. Roman let out a breath, “Virgil, Kitten, you are not nor will you  _ ever be _ a burden to me. Okay? If you need anything, even if it’s just a bird outside the window, you can come to me. I won’t be mad.”

Virgil glanced up at him, eyes shimmering in the light of his bedroom, “... You won’t…?”

“Of course not. If anything, I’ll be really,  _ really  _ happy because you came to me. Even if it’s something that you think is kinda stupid, I will be so happy if you come to me about it. Okay?”

Virgil nodded slowly, “... Okay.”

Then he gave a tiny, very tiny, smile and Roman was  _ floored _ , “Uh. Yep. Okay. Good.”

Virgil’s ears swiveled and he turned to look at the door, Roman followed his gaze but the hall was quiet to him, “What is it?”

Virgil was silent for a bit and Roman got to watch as the black-furred ears twisted this way and that before, “... I think… Logan’s awake?”

The shower started up and Roman chuckled under his breath, “Yeah. That’s Logan. Those are some good ears you’ve got.”

Roman didn’t touch Virgil’s ears. He did place a hand between them, ruffling the black hair with a few gentle touches. Virgil had shied away a bit but, as Roman fluffed the hair between his ears, he relaxed, softly pressing into Roman’s hand. Roman smiled gently as Virgil closed his eyes, obviously relishing in the physical affection for a moment before Roman’s alarm went off. Roman sighed as Virgil pulled away from his hand, retreating to the pillows at the loud noise. The hybrid didn’t move until Roman turned off the alarm, “Sorry, Kitten. I’ve gotta go.”

Virgil’s ears dropped back slightly, his tail wrapping around his legs, “... When will you be back?”

“Around three. Okay?”

“What do I do until then?”

Roman helped Virgil tug on his beanie, tucking a few stray hairs up into the hem before standing, “Rest. Watch movies. Read more fairy tales,” Virgil perked up a little at that one, “Eat. Put some meat on those bones. Logan doesn’t have classes today. He can help you with anything you need.”

Virgil nodded and then, “Am I staying here?”

Roman looked over at him as he pulled on his jacket, “What do you mean?”

Virgil made a small noise, it sounded like a little huffed meow, “I-... nothing…”

Roman smiled softly, “Okay. You rest, Kitten. Have a good day.”

Virgil couldn’t believe that he would ask Roman that. He wanted to stay. He knew that now. Roman had taken his fears last night and eased them away with a song and fairy tales. Virgil shook his head, tugging at the edge of the beanie. He didn’t  _ want _ to sleep without Roman in the apartment but exhaustion dragged at his mind. Roman did say that he could lay back in the pillows…? He slowly laid back onto the mound of pillows and rolled until he was curled into the pile and the blankets. The bedding was cold from disuse but it still smelled like Roman,  _ like safety…  _ Virgil sighed softly, nuzzling into the pillows before the darkness started crashing down around him. 

It was dark, really dark. Virgil was curled up on the ground, cold and hungry. Pain lanced up his side, shaking him to his very core. He lifted his head when he heard footsteps. His heart felt like lead in his chest, heavy and cold. Mr. Hale was standing above him, tall and intimidating, “Get up.”

His voice echoed in the room around Virgil and he tried to stand.  _ Really _ , he did but his legs were refusing to move. It felt like he was being pressed into the ground by a planet. The apologies were already dripping off of his lips as a foot connected with his ribs. A yelp tore its way from his throat and he tasted copper. “Stop being useless and  _ get up _ .”

_ I can’t. I can’t. I’m sorry…! Please-!  _ “Jeez, guess you were right.”

Virgil’s heart dropped.  _ No. No, nonononononono… Please. Not him. Not him.  _ Virgil could barely lift his head, he could feel dirt clinging to his cheek. Roman was standing next to Warren, green eyes glaring down at him. Virgil’s voice cracked, “... Roman… no… please-”

Roman- No.  ** _NO._ ** This wasn’t Roman. Roman… Roman wouldn’t hurt him,  _ wouldn’t he? _ \- rolled his eyes, “Oh, will you just shut up? You’re just as worthless as he says.”

Virgil dropped back to the ground, feeling his shoulders start to shake as a cruel hand reached for him.  _ Please-! _

Virgil bolted upright in Roman’s bed, gasping for breath. He was moving before he even realized, tripping into the living room. He could hear someone move quickly to him and he flinched back. Tears were dripping down his cheeks as he lifted his gaze. Patton was kneeling in front of him, “Virgil… Honey, are you okay?”

Virgil pushed into Patton’s arms, sobbing as quietly as he could, “I-... I’m sorry…!”

Patton’s arms wrapped around the hybrid, “Oh, kiddo, it’s okay. It’s okay. Can you tell me what happened,” Virgil shook his head and Patton continued, “Okay. Let’s go to the couch, alright? We can sit down and turn on a movie. Have you seen  _ The Princess and The Frog _ ?”

Virgil shook his head again, pressing closer to the peppermint smell that seeped from Patton. Patton guided them to the couch to sit down, “Well, it’s a very good movie. You’ll like it.”

Logan emerged from the kitchen with a glass of water. He gently offered it to Virgil and it nearly doubled his tears as he took it. Logan’s voice, while not as soothing as Roman’s ever was, washed over him like a wave of cool air in a desert, “Roman will be home in a few hours.”

That was supposed to be a comforting statement but with the nightmare at the front of his mind, Virgil felt his heart drop from his chest. He nuzzled further into Patton and nodded slightly, “... Okay…”

The movie was nice to watch. It was full of pretty colors and fun music. Patton let Virgil cling to his side through the whole thing, even with Logan on the other side of him. It distracted the hybrid enough for him to start to drift in and out of consciousness. He knew that the movie ended and a documentary was put in, something about… volcanoes? Virgil didn’t know for sure but he knew that he was tired enough to just sink into the warmth next to him. 

The door opening brought Virgil back to the living world. “I’m home. Don’t tell me that you’re trying to turn V into a nerd, Lo.”

Logan huffed slightly, “Not at all. He was napping.”

Roman emerged from the doorway and smiled softly at Virgil, even as fear gripped his throat, “Doesn’t look like it.”

“I said was.”

Roman’s eyes scanned Virgil for a second before glancing at Patton, “He looks a little roughed up?”

There was something in his voice that floored Virgil. He sounded… a little angry and a lot worried,  _ protective? _ Patton sighed, rubbing Virgil’s shoulder, “I think he had a nightmare… He tripped.”

Roman blinked and he dropped his backpack to the floor before taking a slow step forward. Virgil stiffened and felt his heart grow cold as Roman’s eyes widened slightly before growing sad, “Oh… Kitten. It’s alright… I-... I wouldn’t hurt you. I could never have those pretty eyes sad because of me.”

Roman didn’t move closer, just slowly sat on the ground a few feet away from the couch, crossing his legs. Virgil knew that Roman wouldn’t approach him until he gave the all-clear. It soothed some of the fear that curled tightly in his chest and Roman’s voice soothed over the rest. It wasn’t gone but… Virgil slowly pulled away from Patton’s grip, which tightened as he tried to escape it. He made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat and Patton released him as if he had been burned. Virgil slipped to the ground and cautiously crawled over to Roman. He offered a flat hand, barely breathing as Virgil stared at it for a moment and then glanced up at Roman. His eyes were so hopeful and so scared. Roman always wore his emotions out for the world to see and right now, he was scared that Virgil was going to recede back into himself. Virgil pushed past the open hand and curled up in Roman’s lap, pressing his nose into Roman’s collarbone. Roman let out a breath, wrapping his arms securely around the hybrid in his lap, “Hey… Hey V…”

Virgil felt his ears twitch, “... Hi.”

Roman rubbed circles into the small of his back, “I did some thinking at school… You asked if you were staying…”

Virgil stiffened slightly, “... yeah…?”

“Do you want to stay with me? Well, us? Logan’s still living here.”

Virgil felt his heart jump into his throat and he pressed closer to Roman immediately, “ _ Yes.  _ Yes… I want to stay.”

He could feel a smile starting to bloom on his face as Roman laughed gently, “That’s good, Kitten because I want you to.”

Virgil pulled away to look at Roman, “Really?”

Roman’s smile was heartbreaking in a different way than Virgil had ever felt, “Of course I do, Virgil. I’ve always wanted a cat anyway.”

Virgil leaned into the hand that Roman cupped his cheek with, not bothering to fight the smile that pulled at his face. Roman’s grin grew, eyes crinkling at the corners, “Now, that’s a happy kitty. I like that look on you, Virgil.”

Virgil shook his head, pressing back into Roman’s chest. Patton’s voice came from the couch, “If he’s staying, we need to go shopping for clothes, supplies, and a license.”

Virgil twisted to look at Patton, “License?”

Roman’s arms tightened around his waist as Virgil gripped his shirt, “Shopping?”

Patton smiled at them both, “Duh. You can't have a pet without getting some supplies."

Virgil felt his heart start pounding in his chest. _License... _He could have a license... and an actual home... He had one. He buried himself back into Roman's chest, feeling his chest loosen for the first time in what felt like forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a Lil short but I can promise that it will be longer next update.
> 
> Leave some comments and kudos (my shameless plug because I live off of comments, oops.)
> 
> Thank you for reading!!!


	6. Home

Virgil hated the dark. He hated it. It dragged him down like thick, inky black tentacles and threatened to drown him underneath all of it. He struggled to gain his footing as he fell. He couldn’t look over his shoulder. He wasn’t sure  _ what  _ he was running from but he knew that something was chasing him. He could hear it. He could hear the heavy breathing and the loud footfalls as he sprang back up to his feet and pushed forward.  _ Roman, _ his mind whispered,  _ Find Roman. He’ll help you. He’ll keep you safe. He  _ ** _promised._ ** Virgil pitched forward and rolled, whimpering as he slammed his sore back onto the ground. His hand landed in something warm and sticky. Virgil’s eyes had adjusted enough that he could lift his hand to look at the liquid that clung to his skin.  _ Blood. _ The air was thick with the smell of it, heavy and coppery. It wasn’t  _ his _ . Someone else was hurt. Someone nearby, if Virgil’s nose still worked properly. Virgil pushed himself off of the ground and looked around, squinting in the darkness. The footsteps had faded. Whatever, or whoever, had been chasing him had fallen behind… or ran past him. Virgil was hoping for the second one. He didn’t have to look around long before he saw a figure lying on the ground. His arms and legs screamed at him as he crawled forward, ignoring how the blood seeped into his pants. The figure wasn’t moving by the time Virgil got close to them, lying in a growing pool of blood. His hands were shaking, somehow he was still moving, keeping as quiet as possible. All those years in a darkened space where being quiet kept him safe really paid off-  _ cinnamon. _ Virgil’s breath kicked up a notch.  _ No. NO!  _ He hurried forward as fast as he could, taking the figure’s shoulder and rolling them over.  ** _Roman…! _ ** His shirt was wet in the front. His eyes were foggy, the emerald green faded as he stared into nothingness. Virgil choked, “Ro… Roman… no. No. Please.” 

Silence answered him. There was no breath in Roman’s chest, no heartbeat. Virgil felt like he was suffocating as he weakly gripped Roman’s shirt, trying to ignore how cold he was just to curl up closer to the man that had taken him off the street, a brand new owner who actually cared, who smiled at Virgil, who scratched his head, who didn’t hurt him, who  _ wouldn’t  _ hurt him. Virgil nuzzled closer, trying to press some heat back into Roman’s body, “Please… please, Roman… get up.”

Virgil had been distracted. He hadn’t heard the footsteps come closer until a hand was wrapping around the back of his neck and ripping him away from Roman. Virgil tried to twist away, sobbing as he reached out to try and hold on to Roman before he was turned around, “You ran away.”

“Please…!  ** _Please!_ ** Don’t blame him! It was me-”

“You broke the rules. I had to. You don’t understand the consequences of breaking them.”

Virgil squirmed against Warren’s grip as a hand came forward and-

Virgil thrashed violently as he snapped awake, rolling to avoid the hand that was once right in front of him. He was on the ground, wrapped in blankets. The blankets didn’t smell like Roman and they were way too hot. Virgil twisted out of the blankets, shoving them off of him. He couldn’t catch his breath, fire danced beneath his skin as he shoved off of the ground. The hallway was too crowded and too quiet. Virgil ripped off his beanie, trying to focus until… he could hear it. He could hear Logan shifting in his sleep, the sheets and blankets rustling. Logan was safe. Virgil froze at Roman’s door, hand shaking as he slowly pushed it open. The hinges barely creaked as the hybrid peeked into the room. He didn’t have to hear Roman’s breathing, he should see it from the door. The slow rise and fall of the human’s shoulders calmed the twisting anxiety in his stomach. Virgil let out a shaky breath, sliding to the ground.  _ Nightmare. That’s all it was… just a nightmare.  _ He repeated that to himself at least ten more times, trying to build up the courage to return to his sleeping space. He just… couldn’t. Roman was safe. He was sleeping. Virgil should be doing the same thing. It was late. Roman had classes in the morning and he’d be upset if it was clear that Virgil hadn’t gotten enough sleep. He scrubbed at his face. It felt like a pit had opened in his stomach and every important organ had fallen into it. He let out a breath, about to force himself to return to the couch when a quiet voice sounded from the bed, “Virgil…?”

Virgil jumped, looking up at Roman with a quiet squeak. Roman was sitting up, rubbing at his eyes. Virgil could feel his body start to shake, “I’m-... sorry. I- I didn’t mean to-”

Roman shook his head, “Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong. What’s the matter, Kitten?”

“I-... I had a nightmare.”

Virgil cringed.  _ God, I sound like a baby.  _ Roman’s eyes, vibrant and so focused despite being woken up, softened slightly, “Ah, Gatito… do you want to sleep up here?”

_ Yes. _ Virgil slowly crawled onto Roman’s bed, looking for a place to lay down without getting in Roman’s way. Roman sighed, “It’s okay, cuddle bug. C’mere.”

Virgil blinked at him as Roman patted the space beside him. It only took a few little mental shoves to get Virgil next to him and laying down. Roman shifted until he was laying on his stomach once more, facing Virgil, “Hey. No scared ears,” Roman’s hand was warm as he eased Virgil’s ears away from his head, “I hate those,” it only took a few more strokes for Virgil to feel relaxed, “There you go… Happy ears.”

Virgil pressed into Roman’s arm, curling closer to him. He was warm… Virgil closed his eyes.

Roman could barely believe that Virgil was cuddling closer to him. He gripped Roman’s sleeve as he slipped away into sleep. Roman didn’t know where the beanie was but Virgil’s ears had been pinned back when he had woken up. It only took a few simple words and gently touches for the tension in Virgil’s shoulders to melt away. Hybrids were so trusting. They looked to their owners for everything. There were screenings that you had to go through to just get into some of the hybrid stores to make sure that situations like Virgil didn’t happen. Yet, they did. Constantly. Roman let out a breath, tugging Virgil a bit closer to him. Virgil trilled slightly, blinking up at him before nuzzling closer and falling asleep once more without any prompting. Roman’s arm was over Virgil’s waist. It hadn’t hit him just how thin Virgil was until now. It didn’t matter, Virgil was perfect and Roman could help him gain weight. It was only the first week that Virgil was living with them. He had time to eat and gain weight when he felt safe. The flu had finally relinquished its hold after a few days and Patton checked the cuts regularly whenever he was over. It had only been a few days since Patton patched them up but he looked pleased the past afternoon, proclaiming that the swelling had gone down. They hadn’t gotten the chance to go shopping quite yet. The group had decided to go during the weekend and make a day trip out of it. Roman squeezed Virgil slightly as he closed his eyes. Virgil was staying with them. That made him a part of the family, no matter what happened.

Roman woke up to sunlight filtering through the window. It didn’t worry him. His first class didn’t start until 1:30. It was his only late-night class and  _ that  _ worried him. Virgil had handled all of his other days pretty well but if he had to spend the entire weekend alone, without even Logan… Roman didn’t know how comfortable he felt leaving Virgil alone. Speaking of, Virgil was gone. Roman sat up immediately, hurrying to the living area. Virgil was sitting on the ground in front of the tv, watching  _ another  _ documentary. This one was about the Roman Empire, he grinned to himself.  _ Ironic. _ Virgil’s hair was damp and Roman wondered to himself if he wanted to get it cut, it was getting rather long. Roman shook his head and moved into the kitchen, “I knew it,” Logan looked up from where he was making breakfast, “You’re making him into a nerd like you, Teach.”

Logan rolled his eyes, “I simply had the History channel on. A documentary came on and he came out of the bath during the gladiator fights. He sat down and started watching. I think he  _ wants  _ to learn, Roman. Patton believes that he was abused from a young age. He was probably cut off from most education.”

Roman laughed softly, “Logan, I’m kidding. He’s been eyeing your sci-fi books for most of the week. You should get him into Doctor Who.”

Logan looked up at him, “Really?”

“Yeah. Obviously. I bet he’d love that,” Roman stole a hash brown from the plate and escaped into the living room, “Good morning, Kitten.”

Virgil turned slightly to look over at him and gave a tiny smile, “Morning…”

Roman pulled the hashbrown apart and handed a piece to him as he sat down next to the hybrid. Virgil sniffed it for a moment before taking a bite. He hummed happily, turning back to the tv. Roman chuckled, “Good?”

Virgil nodded, “Logan’s good at cooking.”

“Yeah. What’re we watching?”

“A documentary. Are you named after the Roman Empire or…?”

Roman laughed, “Ya know, I have no idea. I’ll ask my mom the next time I see her.”

Virgil looked over, “Your mom?”

“Yeah, do you remember your mom?”

Virgil nodded, “... Yeah… I mean, I was young when I was adopted but I remember her calling me her little Snow White and she read me fairy tales… it’s why I like them so much…”

Roman’s heart clenched, “Do you know where she is?”

Virgil shook his head, “She got adopted too… separately from me.”

“Are you her only-?”

“Yeah. Well, I was. I don’t know anymore… I didn’t know my dad… Mom was all I knew but I miss her…”

Roman nodded, softly pulling Virgil into his arms as his voice cracked, “Kitten, it’s okay.”

Virgil leaned into his arms, nuzzling into his chest. Roman gently scratched at the back of his head and Virgil pushed into his hand, tilting his head slightly. Roman smiled softly as Virgil closed his eyes against Roman’s hand as he gently scratched behind his left ear. He opened his eyes just a sliver to give Roman a small smile before closing them once more and leaning heavily into Roman’s hand. Roman marveled at the softness of Virgil’s fur as his ear twitched against his fingers. It felt like velvet and Roman nearly burst when Virgil gave a tiny pleased noise, not quite a purr but nearly.  _ What kind of man would hurt something so precious…? _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman woke up on Saturday morning to a text from Remus and a very sleepy hybrid on his chest. Roman cringed as Virgil woke up when he shifted slightly. His back wasn’t giving him any thanks for changing sleeping positions but Virgil had fallen asleep so easily while he was resting on his chest, ear pressed against his heartbeat. Virgil blinked up at him and rubbed his eyes, ears drooped slightly, “... What’s going on?”

Roman brushed his hair away from his eyes, “It’s just a text. Just go back to sleep…”

Virgil shook his head, “... no… not without you.”

Roman rolled his eyes, slowly maneuvering Virgil back into the blankets, “I’m not going anywhere. You’ve got a few more hours before we’re going shopping. I’ll be right here but you need to sleep.”

Virgil whined but complied as Roman situated him into the sheets, “You’re not leaving…?”

“No. I’m staying. Just sleep.”

The mall was a little crowded but Virgil stayed as close as possible, clinging onto Roman’s hand. When it got loud, Roman held Virgil to his chest. Virgil curled closer to him as a voice called through the crowd, “Hey! Roman!”

Roman turned as Logan groaned under his breath, “Patton and I can take Virgil.”

Roman chuckled, “Oh, Remus is harmless, Logan. He’s just a little weird. Remus is a good guy though.”

Virgil looked up at Roman, “Who’s Remus?”

“A guy from my class, Kitten. He’s harmless- Hey Remus!”

Virgil turned to look at the two people coming up to the group and immediately crushed himself into Roman’s chest. Roman rubbed a gentle circle in Virgil’s back. Remus stared at the hybrid in Roman’s arms before looking back up at Roman, “Oh… Who’s this?”

“This is Virgil. He’s my hybrid, “Virgil’s hands tightened in Roman’s shirt and Roman fought a smile, “We’re just out shopping.”

Remus slowly nodded, “Well! I just wanted to say hi! What’s up, Lolo?”

Roman didn’t even have to look at his roommate to know that Logan was wrinkling his nose as Patton giggled slightly, “Please, don’t call me that.”

Remus laughed, “Oh, you’re just too much fun to mess with, Logan. You guys have fun! Roman, I’ll see you on Monday?”

“Yep.”

Virgil pulled away to watch Remus wander away before glancing over at Roman, “... He’s a little weird.”

Roman laughed easily, “Yeah. A little.”

Virgil didn’t know what he should look at first. Heads to Tails was full of clothing and too many supplies for him to focus on one thing. Roman handed him off to Logan and Patton with a gentle smile. Virgil clung to his sleeve until Roman smiled, “I’ll be right back. You just pick out some clothes and something fun.”

Virgil wasn’t sure how much he should even try on but Patton kept piling things into his arms. Patton held up a hoodie, “Honey, do you like this?”

The hoodie was at least twice his correct size and black and purple. Virgil nodded, “Yeah…”

Patton smiled, “Oh good!”

Virgil glanced at the sweat pants that Patton had handed to him, “Do… Do I have to buy new pajamas?”

Patton blinked in confusion before he popped his lips, “Oh! You want to keep wearing Roman’s hoodie,” Virgil’s face flushed, “Kiddo, I wouldn’t worry about that. Roman won’t take away his hoodie just because you have more pajamas. It’s time to be spoiled, Virgil. That’s what hybrids are supposed to be.”

Virgil blinked, “But… he’s-... I’m not… I’m not worth that…”

Patton huffed as Logan shook his head, “Virgil. Roman…  _ wants  _ to spoil you.”

Virgil glanced between the couple, “... Really?”

Patton nodded, “Of course! Now, go try on clothes.”

Virgil never had the chance to try on clothes. The pajamas fit perfectly, they were soft but they… they didn’t smell like Roman. He was tying a pair of sneakers when, “Hey, Kiddo. Do you want to come out?”

Virgil pulled on his new jacket, running his hand’s on the inside of it. It was a soft material… He opened the door to the changing room and felt his energy spike as he turned out of the changing areas, “Look! Patton, look!”

Roman was standing with the group and his smile was blinding, “Oh, wow, Kitten! You look amazing!”

Virgil looked down at himself. He didn’t understand what made him look amazing to Roman. He felt better than he had in years. He had finally gotten the chance to carve himself out of the messy pile that Warren-... Virgil bit the inside of his cheek. He shouldn’t focus on that anymore. Virgil lifted his head to look back up at Roman, “... Thank you.”

Logan was holding a basket that held a few things that Virgil couldn’t quite see as Roman held out a hand, “You wanna see something, Virgil?”

Virgil slowly took his hand and let Roman sit him on one of the waiting chairs, “... Okay…?”

“Will you close your eyes for me?”

Virgil stared at Roman for a moment before slowly closing his eyes. He waited for a moment before something cold landed on the back of his neck and he stiffened. It wasn’t heavy or tight, just a small-... “Ro-?”

“Yeah, you can open your eyes.”

Virgil blinked against the lights of the store before looking down at his chest, noticing a slight weight on his sternum. It was a simple, silver chain with a rectangular charm. He picked it up with shaking hands, tracing the engraved stormcloud on the front before turning it over. 

_ Virgil Prince _

_ 100 W 31st St, New York, NY 10001 _

_ 646-232-9225 _

Virgil felt tears start to bloom in his eyes as he looked up at Roman, who’s smile softened, “I figured we would make it official?”

Virgil nodded, choking on his emotions, “... Yeah… Official…”

He had an owner… a good owner. He reached out to Roman and pressed his face into his shoulder. Roman’s arms wrapped around him, scooping him off the chair and into his chest, “Hey… hey. It’s okay… Is it too much?”

Virgil shook his head, wrapping his arms around Roman’s shoulders, “... No… It’s perfect… It’s… so perfect… Thank you. Thank you, Roman…”

Roman laughed gently, “Of course, Gatito… What else would I do except make sure that I never lose you?”

Virgil choked on his own laughter, burying further into Roman’s chest as tears started to drip down his cheeks.  _ As if I’d run away from you…  _ Roman pulled away slightly to wipe away his tears, “Why don’t you go get your clothes and we’ll go home?”

Virgil nodded, regaining his footing as Roman put him down. He moved into the changing room, gripping the tags that hung loosely around his neck.  _ Home…  _ He had a home to go to… He had a new owner and a new last name… He got changed quickly and held onto Roman’s hand as they walked home, listening as Logan and Roman exchanged fast-paced banter. Virgil looked over at Patton as he fell in line with him, “How do you feel, Honey?”

Virgil ran his finger over the engraving on the tags around his neck once more with a soft smile,  _ Virgil Prince _ , “... Really good. Like… really, really good…”

Patton grinned, “That’s really good, Kiddo. Roman’s going to love that. You ready to go home?”

There it was again.  _ Home…  _ and for the first time, it felt like it. Virgil nodded. He looked up at Roman as the human wrinkled his nose, “Excuse me, I am the perfect amount of dramatic!”

The sarcasm was heavy in Logan’s voice, “Oh, yes, of course. Definitely not  _ overdramatic _ -”

“You take that back.”

Virgil grinned, squeezing Roman’s hand. There was no hesitation in the returning gesture as Roman tugged him a little bit closer.  _ Home. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight. So I promise that Remus and Dolos will get more screen time... Eventually. It's getting there. I dragged on that last part but... I like the way it ended.
> 
> Sorry, I feel like I should explain. A trill is the sound that cats make where it sounds like a half meow-half purr thing, that little noise they Make Thats 100% adorable. Yeah, it’s called a trill.
> 
> Comment your thoughts!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	7. Life Is A Balancing Act

Roman slid into his chair in his theater class as Remus looked over at him, “You’re late.”

Roman hummed, leaning against his hand. Virgil had been up and down all night, nightmares shaking the hybrid to his very core. Roman couldn’t blame him. After everything that he had been through… nightmares were the least Roman expected. He woke up screaming Roman’s name. Roman shook his head at the memory.

_ Virgil bolted upwards, shrieking Roman’s name. It was the third time that hour. Roman sat up immediately, putting a hand on Virgil’s arm. Virgil spun, pushing away from Roman’s arm, “DON’T-” Virgil’s voice broke, “Don’t… don’t hurt them. I did it. It was me…! It was all me. Don’t-” _

_ He wasn’t fully awake yet. Roman shushed him gently, “Virgil… Honey… It’s okay. It’s okay…” _

_ Virgil blinked, tears dripping down his cheeks, “... R-... Roman… you’re okay…?” _

_ Roman nodded, brushing his knuckles against Virgil’s pale skin, “Of course, Kitten… Who would hurt me?” _

_ Virgil shook his head, pushing into Roman’s chest, “I-... I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” _

_ Roman leaned back into his pillows, “Don’t apologize, Virgil… It’s okay.” _

_ “I woke you up… I didn’t want too…” _

_ Roman squeezed him a bit closer, “I know, Honey… I don’t mind… Are you feeling better?” _

_ Virgil shrugged, tail curling over his legs, “I don’t know…” _

_ “Is there anything I can do…?” _

_ “... Just… please keep holding me…” _

_ Roman let out a soft breath, “Of course, Gatito…” _

Roman rubbed at his eyes, “What…?”

Remus glanced over at him with a raised eyebrow, “I didn’t say anything.”

“Oh… Sorry, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

“Obviously,” Remus jostled his shoulder, “What’s wrong? What happened last night? Is your little hybrid okay?”

Roman dragged a hand through his hair, “Yeah. He’s fine. He just… he’s been having nightmares…”

“Oh,” Remus’ voice took a softer edge, “Poor thing… What happened?”

Roman shook his head, “He had a bad past… I think it’s all just catching up? I don’t know… I just wish-... I wish I could help more…”

Roman sighed and Remus put a consoling hand on his shoulder, “Have you thought about therapy or medication? DeeDee uses lavender… Maybe that would help your kitty.”

Roman nodded slowly, “Yeah… We can try that. … thanks, Remus.”

“No problem. So, how was shopping on Saturday?”

Roman blinked. _ Oh, right. He ran into us. _“Good. Virgil got some new clothes and a license.”

“A license?! Well, Virgil- right?” Roman nodded and Remus plowed on, “Virgil must just be the happiest kitty in the world.”

Roman smiled at that memory. Virgil’s smile had been truly heartbreaking as he turned the little tags over in his hands. “Yeah… You’d think it was made out of gold or something. He was so happy. He still fiddles with it constantly.”

Remus grinned, “Awww…! You know, Dolos won’t let me get a pet. It’s _ so boring. _”

Roman looked over at him, “Really? Dolos seems like the type of guy to want a pet.”

Remus shook his head, “No. Not really. We’re not ‘pet-parent material’ apparently.”

Remus rolled his eyes with his air quotes and Roman laughed, “Pity.”

Remus shrugged, “Oh well. You win some, you lose some. Can I ask how you got Virgil?”

“Oh…” Roman picked at his nails, “He was… he was a stray. I just found him and-”

“Started building trust?”

“Yeah.”

“Cute~ and you got a wonderful companion out of it. I didn’t see a lot on Saturday but he sure seemed cute.”

Roman nodded, “He’s a little shy…”

“Don’t blame him. People are sucky. Especially if you’ve had a bad past. I would love to actually meet him someday.”

Roman slowly nodded once more, “Yeah… maybe someday.”

“I promise to reign in the weird.”

“I seriously doubt that.”

Remus winked, taking a bit from his deodorant, “Got a point there, Princey.”

Roman pushed into the apartment after the day. He wanted to take a very long shower and then probably a very long nap. He dropped his backpack at the door and stretched over his head. He could hear the television playing some random show and Logan in the kitchen but there was no noise that gave Roman any details about where Virgil was. _ Human ears. _ Roman rolled his eyes and carefully stepped into the living room. Virgil was curled up in Logan’s armchair, the tip of his tail slowly curling in front of his nose. He seemed to be asleep, a sci-fi book on the arm of the chair. Roman went to go put the throw blanket over Virgil’s small figure when he froze. Virgil’s hand was wrapped around his license, the silver just peeking through his fingers. Roman smiled softly, tucking the blanket around Virgil’s shoulders and smoothing a hand across his ear, which twitched at the touch. Logan was making a sandwich when Roman finally entered the kitchen. His eyes flashed to him before returning to the food in front of him, “How was your day?”

“Long… I’m going to take a shower. How long has Virgil been out of my room?”

“Since you left. He read two books all the way through before falling asleep. Have you been getting any sleep? He told me that you wake up when he has nightmares…”

Roman flinched, “I’ve been sleeping… not much but I have been…!”

Logan sighed, “Roman…”

“You’re going to say I need to put my health first but I can’t! Logan, I really can’t. Virgil needs me… whatever that man did when he had Virgil… it really fucked him up…”

“It’s not healthy,” Logan’s voice went flat and Roman knew that he was just trying to get the facts ingrained into his stubborn roommate’s brain, “What would happen if you were so tired that you got hurt? Or killed? How would I explain that to Virgil?” Roman flinched _ hard _, “He’d be heartbroken. How would he even continue without you? He’s imprinted on you. He depends on you. Which means…?”

“...” Roman took a deep breath, “I have to take care of myself.”

“That’s right. Now, go take a shower and take a nap. I can watch over Virgil while you’re sleeping.”

Roman swallowed, “Okay. If Virgil-”

“I’ll come to get you if he needs you.”

“Thanks, Lo.”

Roman’s hair was wet when he laid down on his bed. It felt strangely empty without Virgil curled up next to him or just taking up a quiet space in his room. That’s how Virgil always seemed to take up space, silent but very, very there. Roman closed his eyes, trying to get a little bit of sleep but he was finding that it was hard to sleep without Virgil’s weight or presence nearby. Virgil had elbowed his way into Roman’s life and into his heart as easily and as stubborn as Logan had. Roman huffed, running a hand down his face and tangling it in his hair. _ Elbowed. _Roman laughed at himself. That wasn’t even close to the right word. Virgil had shown up with an open hand and, instead of just accepting it as a greeting, Roman had scooped him into his arms and taken him home. Virgil had just gotten dragged along for the ride and he didn’t complain. He leaned into Roman’s embrace and welcomed his arms with a smile every time. Every. Single. Time. Virgil was amazing in every way and continued to surprise Roman with his strength. Even with his nightmares, he soldiered on. Virgil was stronger than anybody that Roman had ever met and so incredibly sweet. A weight settled on his chest. Roman opened his eyes and grinned, “Kitten, what are you doing?”

Virgil’s hair was a wreck, sticking up in random areas as his ears twitched and he rubbed at his eyes. He was half asleep by the looks of him, clothes rumpled and half-closed eyes. He shrugged, legs on either side of Roman’s waist, “... dunno…”

Roman chuckled, gently taking Virgil’s hands away from his face, “You look tired, Honey…”

Virgil nodded with a quiet hum as Roman slowly pulled him down onto his chest, “... you look tired too.”

“I am but you’re already half asleep… so why don’t you chase those dreams, Kitten?”

Virgil adjusted himself just a little as Roman gently scratched behind his ear before settling and… he was asleep within a moment, nuzzled into Roman’s collarbone. Roman smiled softly, running a hand through Virgil’s hair as he pressed a kiss to his forehead, “Sweet Dreams, Kitten.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman had learned from experience that when Remus and he get paired up for scenes, they’ll be working at Roman’s place for the first night and then wherever they ended up for the rest of the project was up to chance. When Professor Sampson called out Roman and Remus for Jackson’s Famous Banana Split, Roman knew for sure that they’d end up at the apartment once more. He fished his phone out of his pocket.

** _Message Sent to _ ** **🐾☂️** ** _Kitten_ ** **☂️🐾**

_ Hey. I just want you to know that I have to bring a friend home for class. If you want to, you can just stay in my room. You don’t have to come to say hi when I get home. _

** _Message Received from _ ** **🐾☂️** ** _Kitten_ ** **☂️🐾**

_ Okay. Who is it? _

** _Message Sent to _ ** **🐾☂️** ** _Kitten_ ** **☂️🐾**

_ It’s Remus, Kitten. You just make sure that you are taken care of. _

Roman had caved and gotten Virgil a phone when he couldn’t pull away from his kitten and ended up missing his classes. Virgil had had panic attacks the entire day, hiding away from the world behind the couch. Roman stayed nearby the entire day, allowing Virgil to curl into his chest when he could bear the outside world. It wasn’t caving. Roman _ needed _ that line of communication. Virgil needed it in case he had another attack and he was alone in the apartment or if he just needed Roman. He knew that he’d drop everything and run if Virgil sent him an emergency message. Remus leaned over to him, “So, your place after school? I’ll meet you outside of the Union.”

Roman nodded, “Yeah.”

“You think I’ll meet Virgil, finally?”

“Depends on him. He might just hide until you’re gone.”

Remus pouted, “Now, that’s not very fun.”

Roman didn’t expect Virgil to greet him when he got home. He was expecting just a little knowing glance from Logan and a nod that meant Virgil had escaped into his room for the night. He opened the door and got an armful of hybrid. It was almost as if Virgil had been waiting next to the door to assault his owner. Roman laughed as Virgil sprang into his arms, nuzzling into his embrace and tail curling around him, “Kitten, what are you doing?”

Virgil shrugged as Remus gave a squeal as Virgil pushed further into his human, “... Dunno.”

Roman walked further into the apartment to send a questioning glance at Logan, who smiled, “He missed you.”

Roman grinned, kissing Virgil’s temple, “I missed you too, Gatito. Do you wanna watch Remus and I rehearse?”

Virgil lifted his head away from Roman’s collarbone to look at Remus before ducking away from him, “... sure…?”

Roman smiled softly, “This is Remus, Virgil. Do you mind saying hi?”

Virgil picked up his head once more and gave a whispered, “... hi…”

Roman turned his head to watch as Remus smiled, “Hey Kitten.”

Virgil’s nose wrinkled, “Virgil. My name is Virgil.”

Remus blinked as Roman choked back a snort, “Right. It’s nice to meet you, Virgil…”

Virgil nodded and rested back on Roman’s shoulder. His tail was wrapped tightly around Roman’s side as a type of hug. His hands gripping the clothe of Roman’s shirt as he practically sank into Roman’s embrace. 

Patton slowly moved towards Logan’s and Roman’s apartment. Logan had texted him earlier, warning him that Remus Knight was in the apartment. Patton didn’t know Remus very well. The first time that they had met, Remus had been sprawled across the couch in the living room, eating… _ deodorant… _Patton shuddered to himself, shaking his head at the thought. If Remus was in the apartment, he could only wish that Virgil was safely hidden away or that Roman had the decency to get him out of the apartment and away from Remus’ strange habits. As he approached the door to the apartment, he could hear laughter and soft music. He slowly pushed the door open and peeked into the living room. Logan was sitting on his armchair, a book open on his lap and he looked up with a smile, “My love.”

Patton smiled nervously, looking around the room. Roman was sitting on the couch, Virgil curled up into his lap, phone in hand with headphones. Remus spun from where he was standing, “Ah! Patton! Lovely to see you again!”

Patton waved slightly as he moved to Logan, “Nice to see you too, Remus… Where’s… where’s your deodorant?”

Remus clasped his hands behind his back, rocking back and forth on his feet, “I’m on my best behavior.”

Logan took Patton’s hand as he reached out, gently pulling Patton to him, “Best behavior?”

Remus nodded, gesturing to the hybrid on Roman’s lap, “I have to be or Logan will take Virgil out of the apartment.”

Patton stared at Logan before looking over at Roman, who nodded seriously, “If Virgil is uncomfortable, I’m getting him out of here.”

Virgil glanced up from his phone and grinned brilliantly at Patton as he pulled out one of his headphones, specially made for cat hybrids, “Patton!”

Patton’s smile felt a little less forced at Virgil’s excitement to see him, “Hey Kiddo. How does your back feel? Any pain?”

Virgil shook his head, “No. Not really. Sometimes, it’s sore but Roman makes sure to get me pain medicine.”

Patton glanced at Roman and giggled at Roman’s pink cheeks, “He’s a really good owner.”

Virgil nodded, nuzzling back into Roman’s chest and putting his headphone back in. Patton winked at Roman before sliding into Logan’s open arms and taking his place in Logan’s lap. Remus shook his head as if to clear his thoughts before turning back to Roman, “This is a really fun script.”

Roman rolled his eyes, “Oh, come on. It’s really weird, is what it is.”

Remus chuckled, “So? From the beginning?”

Roman shrugged, reaching up to card a hand through his own hair, “Sure. Let’s go.”

Remus nodded, spinning in a tight circle before pointing at Roman. Patton tried not to smile as Roman obviously tried to keep from standing at the start of the scene- He had a lapful of hybrid that he had to take care of, “Why do you have to be rude all the time?”

Remus put a hand on his chest, “It’s who I am, I’m not gonna be a phony like everybody else.”

“It has nothing to do with being a phony, not everybody who comes into contact with you is going to be a phony.”

“I’m not backing down.”

Roman scoffed, very well in character, “What the hell are you talking about…? not backing down? From who? From what?”

Remus grinned wickedly, “Oh man, you don’t understand anything…I’m talking about me, I’m not selling out, I’m not backing down.”

“Selling out?”

“Yeah, man. I’m not ever gonna act other than the way I feel.”

Patton agreed with Roman, this script was really weird, “So, your attitude, this nastiness is all about being you?”

“When someone bothers me, why should I not tell them they are bothering me?”

Roman waved the hand that wasn’t bracing Virgil’s back through the air, “To be polite. What if the person bothering you doesn’t know that they are bothering you?”

Remus waved his arms right back, “That’s why I tell them, so they know.”

Roman shook his head at his partner’s antics, “You don’t get it. What if the person you claim is bothering you, is bothering you unintentionally? What then?”

“Then I still tell them,” Remus glanced at the wad of papers in his hands, “so they learn.”

“But they weren’t trying to upset you.”

“But they did.”

“Why can’t you tell someone _ nicely _that they are bothering you? Why do you have to be so rude?”

Remus put his hands on his hips after looking at his papers once more, “Because that’s my nature. That’s who I am, that’s who I’ve always been a rude asshole. I know it and you know it. I can’t change that, it’s in my DNA.”

Roman glanced at his papers as well, squishing Virgil a bit closer to him before starting to gently mess with the strands of the hybrid’s hair, “So, you are happy going through life being the way that you are? Doesn’t matter how many people you come into contact with, this is it, this is you, this is how you will always be, take it or leave it?”

“Damn straight.”

Virgil leaned into Roman’s hand, moving his head so that Roman was gently scratching at his ear, “You’re a moron.”

Patton watched as Virgil’s eyes slowly drifted close and Remus continued on with the scene, “I don’t care.”

Roman shook his head. “You are, a great giant of a moron and you can stick it where the sun doesn’t shine if that bothers you. You know what? Someone’s gonna come at you one of these days and give you a beating, what-?”

He froze, cutting himself off. Patton raised an eyebrow, leaning away from Logan’s chest for a moment. It was silent. There was no reason for Roman to stop so suddenly, he was just doing a read-through. Roman wouldn’t freeze up like this unless- _ Wait. What-? _ There was a soft noise carrying through the now silent apartment. Patton blinked and felt a smile split across his face. Virgil was pushed into Roman’s hand, eyes closed, and… _ purring. _Virgil was purring with his head nestled into Roman’s chest and Roman… Roman’s eyes were wide with tears blooming in the corners of them. The purring… the purring was deep in Virgil’s chest as he pressed even closer to Roman, hands gently kneading at Roman's shirt, that was a very strong instinct that carried over into the hybrids, just like purring. By the looks of it, Virgil hadn’t had a reason to purr for a very long time and… he finally found a reason to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Virgil's purring.
> 
> Hope you guys liked the chapter!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	8. But, Dear Lord, Roman's Clumsy

Roman moved through the kitchen as he cooked dinner and picked up after himself. Virgil was sitting on the counter, swinging his legs as he took sips of the tea that Roman had just brewed for him. He was watching a youtube video, letting Roman move around him without even a flinch. It had been nearly two weeks since Remus had been over and Virgil’s purring had grown into something that was nearly constant when Roman gave him physical affection. Still, every moment that Virgil did purr, it was like listening to a brand new musical that swept Roman off his feet. Roman started cutting up bell peppers. Shrimp enchiladas were a traditional dish that his mother had made constantly as he grew up. He could only add about half of the jalapeños that she did on advice from Patton. Jalapeños were deadly to house cats and a very large amount of them made hybrid cats sick. Patton had looked over the recipe and made a few little changes; make sure everything is cooked thoroughly, halve the number of jalapeños, and… Virgil might eat raw pieces of bell pepper off the cutting board. Roman raised an eyebrow at the scrawled note before glancing back at Virgil. He had already cut up one of the two red bell peppers that the recipe called for. Curiosity clawed at his throat. Roman took a piece of the pepper and slowly offered it to Virgil. Virgil took it without even glancing at it, sniffing the piece before taking a bite of it. Roman smiled softly and ran the back of his knuckles over Virgil’s cheek. The hybrid blinked in surprise at the sudden touch before looking at Roman with a beautiful smile and a soft purr. Roman couldn’t fight his own smile as Virgil pressed into his hand, his purring growing louder and louder with every passing moment. Roman jumped as his phone started ringing. Virgil startled, pulling away at the loud noise. Nothing had changed in that department. Virgil still didn’t like loud, sudden noises. Roman cursed slightly, “Sorry, Kitten. Let me get that,” Roman fished his phone out of his pocket, “Oh! ¡Hola, Mamá!”

Virgil raised an eyebrow, beanie twitching slightly in a silent question,  _ “¡Pequeño! How are you, Dear?” _

Roman pressed his finger to the tip of Virgil’s nose, watching as his nose scrunched up with a grin, “I’m good, Mamá. What’s going on?”

_ “Well, I know that you have Thanksgiving off from school. I was wondering if you wanted to fly home for a visit.” _

Roman blinked, “Oh… yeah. I do. I have the entire week off. My professors canceled classes…”

_ “Do you want to fly home?” _

He glanced over at the hybrid sitting next to him, Virgil’s eyes glistened in the lights of the kitchen as he looked up at Roman, “Yeah. Of course, I want to fly home for Thanksgiving… It’s just-...”

Virgil tilted his head as Roman looked over at him.  _ “Just what, Little Prince?” _

Roman felt his heart melt as Virgil whispered, “Is everything okay…?”

Roman nodded, easily brushing Virgil’s hair away from his face, thumbing at his cheek, Virgil closed his eyes against Roman’s hand, a quiet purring picking back up, “I have a hybrid now…”

_ “Oh! I didn’t realize that you had gotten such a well paying job.” _

Roman shook his head, “No, Mamá. I don’t have a well-paying job… He was a stray but he’s mine now.”

Virgil smiled brilliantly, license hanging around his neck. Roman knew of hybrids that took off their tags when they were at home but Virgil never seemed to take them off except to sleep for the night and take baths, when he left them in Roman’s safe hands or on the nightstand in their room. Roman had a feeling that Virgil didn’t want to take his tags off. His mother fell silent for a moment before laughing gently,  _ “You always did bring home strays. You bring him along. I’ll pay for the tickets!” _

“Mamá…”

_ “No, Roman. You have a mouth to feed and I want to meet the hybrid that made you sound this happy,” _ Roman blinked,  _ “I love you, pequeño.” _

Roman coughed slightly, shaking himself out of his mind, “I love you too… I’ll see you soon.”

He pulled his phone away from his ear and looked over at Virgil, who was chewing on another piece of red bell pepper. His hybrid, he would never get used to even thinking that,  _ my hybrid _ , looked up from his phone, “Is everything okay?”

Roman nodded, putting the phone back into his pocket, “Yeah, Gatito. It was just my mom.”

Virgil grinned, “I figured from ‘Mama’.”

Roman rolled his eyes with a tiny scoff, “When did you get this sassy?”

Virgil shrugged, taking a bite of the bell pepper once more, “I don’t know. I just can be.”

Roman grinned, scratching under Virgil’s chin, “Yes, you can be. She was just wondering if I was coming home for Thanksgiving.”

Virgil nodded before questioning, “Where is home?”

“Flordia.”

Virgil blinked in surprise, “... oh. That’s… That’s a long way away.”

Roman nodded, going back to cutting up vegetables, “Yes. We’d have to take a plane.”

Virgil’s voice got quieter and quieter as he spoke, “You’d be gone for a whole week…?”

Roman looked over at Virgil, he was pulling at the sleeves of his black and purple-plaid patched hoodie that they had boughten with his license, fiddling with the silver tag on the necklace, “Honey…  _ We. _ ”

Virgil looked up, “What?”

Roman shook his head, “Kitten, you’re coming with me.”

“I am…?”

“I’m not leaving you alone for a  _ week _ . Ever. But especially not over Thanksgiving week! You are way too important to me. You’re part of the family and my mom wants to meet you.”

Virgil drew back a little, shock written on his face, “She-... she wants to meet me…?”

Roman smiled, “Virgil, of course, she wants to meet you. Do you want to come?”

Virgil nodded, reaching out for his owner. Roman swept into his arms. Virgil clung to him, nuzzling into his shoulder, “Yeah… I want to come.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman went to Patton for Virgil’s papers and… shots. Roman had to wake his sleeping kitten up at nearly 6:30 in the morning. Virgil was dead silent in Logan’s jeep, Roman had borrowed it to drive to Pet Agree, beanie pulled down to his hairline. Roman offered a hand, letting Virgil grip it as tightly as he could. Roman ran his thumb over Virgil’s knuckles, “Hey. Where’s my Kitten?”

“...” Virgil took a deep breath, “... I’m scared…”

Roman nodded. He was surprised that Virgil would tell him that. He was unbelievably proud that Virgil had pushed past the endless abuse to be able to voice his feelings to his owner, even if he needed to take a breath beforehand. Roman gently squeezed his hand, “I know, Kitten… I am too.”

Virgil’s voice was incredulous, “... Why?”

“Because… I don’t like seeing you in pain. You having to get these stupid shots… It scares me too, Little Storm.”

Virgil’s hand squeezed Roman’s, “Really…?”

“Yeah and afterward, do you want to go get a treat?”

Virgil shook his head, “… I… I just want to go home, Ro…”

_ Ro.  _ That was a newer nickname that made Roman’s stomach flip every time. He wasn’t sure why. Roman nodded, “Okay. I’ll make some tortellini soup for dinner. Sound good?”

“... yeah.”

Virgil’s tail lashed in the air as he sat in the waiting room at Pet Agree. Roman put a hand on his knee, pressing a kiss to the edge of his beanie, “It’s okay, Virgil. You know Patton… He won’t draw it out.”

Virgil’s shoulders shook as a veterinarian assistant stuck her head out of the back, reading off of a clipboard, “Virgil Prince.”

Roman slowly stood, taking Virgil’s hand to gently pull the hybrid with him. Virgil clung to his arm, following the assistant to a very quiet examination room, “Doctor Hart will be right with you.”

Roman nodded with a smile, “Of course. Thank you.”

Virgil sat on the examination table, fiddling with his license. Roman could recognize the lashing of his tail just fine without any clue from his ears. Virgil was about ready to bolt. Roman stood in front of him, letting the hybrid wrap his arms and legs around him and bury into his chest. The vet office seemed to give him as much anxiety as thunderstorms did. Roman nestled into Virgil’s beanie, speaking softly, “Está bien. Estoy aquí. No dejaré que te lastimen como te lastimó a ti…”

Virgil’s ears twitched underneath his beanie, Roman could feel them against his cheek. At the very least, they weren’t pinned against his head. His shoulders shook slightly and his voice cracked as he slowly looked up, “I… I don’t speak Spanish, Roman.”

Roman smiled, “I know…”

“... Tell me what you said?”

“I said that it’s okay and that I am right here.”

“What about the rest?”

Roman shook his head and nuzzled into Virgil’s beanie once more, listening as a tiny purr rolled from him, “I’m not telling you.”

“Why not?”

“Learn Spanish, Kitten.”

Virgil huffed quietly but pressed closer all the same. His little engine running consistently at the physical affection that Roman was always willing to give him. The purring didn’t stop until the door opened and Virgil tensed up immediately. Roman looked up at Patton, who smiled kindly. Virgil was still hiding in his owner’s chest. Patton put down his clipboard and stood on the other side of the examination table, “Hey Kiddo. Can you turn around for me…?”

Virgil shook his head and tried to nuzzle further into Roman’s chest. Roman sighed, “Honey…”

Virgil whimpered before slowly pulling away from Roman’s arms and turning to Patton. Roman grasped his hand, squeezing it softly. Virgil glanced over at him before looking back at Patton. Roman held Virgil’s hand all through the process, holding the beanie as Patton checked his ears, whispering quiet pieces of encouragement when Patton took off the left side of Virgil’s jacket. He wiped at his arm with an alcohol swab and Virgil tensed as Patton flicked at the shot. Roman eased a hand through his hair, hoping to ease some of the panic that was obviously shooting through his hybrid. Virgil didn’t cry out when Patton did his shots. Roman’s heart ached when tears slowly started dripping down his cheeks. There were a few bandaids on his arms as he pulled back on his jacket. Patton looked at Roman with a sad gaze, “All of his papers are sorted. I’ll go get the card that proves it. Can you send me a picture of him? Just a simple headshot?”

Roman nodded, fishing his phone out to send one of the many pictures that he had accumulated and emailed it straight to Patton. Patton put a hand on Roman’s arm before leaving the room. As soon as the door closed, Roman swept around to face Virgil, wiping away tears, “Kitten. I’m sorry. Lo siento. I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

Virgil nodded, sniffling slightly, “I’m… I’m okay. I just-... I don’t like shots, Roman. I don’t have to do that again?”

Roman shook his head. “No. Not until absolutely necessary. I won’t let-”

“Anyone hurt me…”

Roman nuzzled against Virgil’s hair, “That’s right, my sweet little kitten. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Ever. No one will ever hurt you while I’m around.”

Virgil sniffled, wiping away some stray tears as Roman poured as much love and support onto him as he could, “... Thank you, Ro…”

“Anything for you, Virgil.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Virgil… didn’t like a lot of things in the world. He didn’t like loud noises. He didn’t like the dark. He  _ did  _ ** _not_ ** like shots. He trusted Roman though. He had to trust Roman. It’s something that he had to constantly remind himself as he moved through the airport with his owner. Virgil’s heart was pounding in his ears as Roman handed the TSA agent his passport and Virgil’s new travel ID. The TSA looked over the information before handing the two ID’s back to Roman, “Enjoy your trip.”

“Thank you.”

Roman offered a small circular pill as they found their seats on the plane, “Here.”

Virgil blinked at it, “What is it?”

“Melatonin, Kitten. It will help you sleep through the flight. I checked with Patton. You can take it.”

Virgil doesn’t remember taking off. He remembered laying on Roman’s shoulder after taking the medicine and feeling drowsy and then falling asleep. He awoke to a slight jostling and Roman gently rubbing a thumb along his cheek, “C’mon, V. We’ve landed.”

Virgil rubbed at his eyes, drowsy all through the movement of the airport. Roman tugged him along, both of their backpacks tossed over one shoulder. Roman drew Virgil to his side as they neared the gate. Virgil tugged him to a stop. Roman looked over his shoulder and smiled softly, “Are you okay, Virgil?”

Virgil nodded, wiping at his eyes, “Can we just… slow down…? I-”

_ Rules.  _ Virgil blinked, shaking his head at the thought. He hadn’t thought that in nearly three weeks. Virgil looked down, “... N-... nothing.”

Roman slowly knelt in front of Virgil, taking his hand, “Honey, when we get to my house, you can take a very long nap. I promise. I’ll even let you sleep in the car but we’ve got to get to my parents first. Okay?”

Virgil slowly nodded.  _ Of course. Of course, Roman knows literally everything about me.  _ It was a slower walk from then on but Roman was obviously getting more and more excited with every step. He had a slight skip in his step that Virgil couldn’t really remember seeing that ever. The gate was swarming with people and Roman lifted his free hand, “¡Mamá!”

“¡Pequeño!”

There was a small group of people, maybe four or five people, that all turned at Roman’s voice. Virgil could hear Patton’s voice in his head,  _ “You ready, Kiddo?” _

The answer…?  _ No. Never in a million years... _

The ride back to Roman’s childhood home was quiet… for the most part. Questions about school and friends and Logan and Patton got flung through the air until Maria, like the wonderful mother that she is, shushed them without a moment to lose as Virgil sunk into Roman’s embrace, silent from the moment he was surrounded by the Prince family, and promptly fell asleep. Maria smiled at Roman from the passenger seat and then glanced at Virgil, “We’ve got your room all set up in the downstairs. We would’ve given you the garage apartment but Valerie has kids now. We figured an area for them without the-”

Roman shook his head, “Mamá, it’s fine. Virgil and I just need a place to sleep.”

Maria’s smile grew into something, Roman didn’t quite know what, “It looks like he has a portable mattress for himself.”

Roman’s cheeks felt warm, “ _ Mom. _ ”

Virgil slept soundly, even as Roman carried him to his childhood bedroom. Virgil blinked awake as soon as Roman went to set him down. He tugged at Roman’s shirt for a second before Roman took his wrist, “It’s alright. I’m just gonna go catch up with the family. You… you sleep, Kitten. I’ll be right out that door if you need me.”

Virgil slowly nodded and curled up, “... can I have your jacket…?”

Roman shucked off his jacket without a second thought, draping it around Virgil’s shoulders, “Sleep well.”

Roman sat through hundreds and hundreds of questions before finally, one of his cousins, Laura, asked a question that sparked about a thousand more, “So, what’s with the little hybrid?”

_ “YEAH!” _

“Now that’s a question!”

Roman sighed, crossing his arms over his chest, “Look, I already told Mamá. He was a stray. I took him in, that’s all.”

Laura rolled her eyes, “‘Just a stray’. You always did pick up the ones from the street. Is he a good pet?”

Roman felt anger bite at the bit as he snapped, “He’s not just a  _ pet _ , Laura. He’s not like one of your many boyfriends.”

Laura snorted, cuffing him around the back of his head, “Don’t be a smartass.”

“Fuck you-  ** _OW!”_ **

Maria pinched their cheeks, “Language! No cursing in the kitchen. You want to fight, go to the backyard.”

Laura, truly one of Roman’s favorite cousins, grinned wickedly and then Roman was chasing her out of the house and into the grassy backyard. They were always wrestling cousins, even when they were young. Laura pinned Roman to the ground, “So, really? How’s school?”

Roman twisted in her grip, “Good! I’m practicing to audition for a musical when I get back.”

Roman flipped their position, trapping Laura on the ground, she gave a little groan before thrashing, “That sounds fun. What musical?”

“Grease. What about you? You still taking those auto shop classes?”

“Yeah! And kicking your ass!”

“What-  _ ¡MIERDA!” _

Laura slammed Roman into the ground, “You could never get the best of me! Even when we were kids.”

Roman kicked at the air, “I don’t want to hurt you!”

“ _ Hurt me _ ? Just say it!”

“NO!”

“SAY IT!”

“NEVER! ¡NUNCA EN LA VIDA!”

Laura laughed and shook Roman from the collar of his shirt, “¡Perra, solo dilo!”

Roman shook his head, continuing to kick his legs. He was laughing at that point. He couldn’t keep it in when Laura was involved. She was one of his closest friends. Laura shook her head right back, “You’re such a bitch, Roman. Just say it!”

“No.”

“Oh, come on-! JESUS!”

Laura was pushed from Roman’s chest and Roman lifted his head to watch as Virgil plopped down beside him, flopping his head onto his stomach. Laura was laying on her side before she scrambled back into a sitting position as Roman laughed, “I have won, Laura. You can’t defeat Virgil. He’s untouchable.”

Laura scoffed, “That just means that Virgil won. You’ve won nothing.”

Roman scrunched his nose before placing a hand on top of Virgil’s head. The hybrid lifted his head and leaned heavily into his hand before he slowly sat up, Roman following in an instant. Sunlight was a good look on Virgil. He had shed his beanie and his jacket, leaving him in a three-quarter sleeve and his black jeans. His tail curled gently over his legs and he smiled softly as the sun turned his black hair shiny. Roman smiled as Virgil grinned, pressing into the hand that cupped his cheek, “Yeah, okay. He won.”

“Yay.”

Roman snorted at Virgil’s monotone exclamation. “Roman!”

Roman lifted his head to look at his mother, “Be right there! Virgil, this is Laura. Laura, Virgil. Don’t fuck with him. I’ll be right back, Kitten.”

Laura laughed as Roman stood, jogging over to his mother. Maria was smiling softly and Roman raised an eyebrow, “What?”

Maria gestured slightly back towards Virgil, “He’s sweet.”

Roman looked over his shoulder, smiling at the hybrid as Virgil pointed out clouds with Laura, “Yeah. He’s… amazing.”

“I’m glad you found him…”

Roman turned to look at his mother once more, raising an eyebrow, “What?”

Maria grinned, raising her own eyebrow before speaking in easy Spanish,  _ “Honey, it’s so obvious.” _

_ “... What’s obvious, Mom?” _

Maria scoffed gently,  _ “That you’re in love with him.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No dejaré que te lastimen como te lastimó a ti…- I won't let anyone hurt you like he did.
> 
> ¡MIERDA!- SHIT!
> 
> NUNCA EN LA VIDA- Never in my life
> 
> ¡Perra, solo dilo!- Bitch, just say it!
> 
> OH~?!


	9. I Never Planned for This

Roman felt sick. His stomach was rolling as his mother looked at him.  _ “... what…?” _

Maria blinked,  _ “Honey… do you not know?” _

Roman shook his head, trying to clear his racing thoughts,  _ “Mamá, I’m not-... I’m not in love with Virgil… I  _ ** _love _ ** _ him but I’m not  _ ** _in _ ** _ love with him…!” _

Maria sighed,  _ “Oh… Little One. It’s okay.” _

_ “I’m not!” _

He couldn’t be. He couldn’t be in love with Virgil, not with his beautiful hybrid.  _ Fuck…! _ He shouldn’t be-  _ couldn’t  _ be-  ** _ISN’T. _ ** Virgil went through enough without Roman fucking this up. He was Virgil’s  _ owner _ . Virgil needed a steady home life, not an idiot who couldn’t control his feelings-  ** _THERE ARE NO FEELINGS!_ ** Roman shook his head,  _ “I-... I should get back to Virgil, Mamá…” _

Maria’s eyes softened,  _ “Okay… if you need to talk…” _

_ “I know.” _

Roman moved back to Laura and Virgil, shoving the thoughts to the side. Virgil looked from the sky back to Roman and smiled, “... You’re back.”

Roman nodded, swallowing past the lump in his throat, “Yeah… I’m back. Can I sit with you, Kitt-” His entire body reacted to the nickname, coiling away from the warmth that swirled in his chest, “Virgil?”

Virgil blinked at him and then nodded slowly. His ears had twitched at the sudden change of nickname to his given name, leaning back into his hair just a little. Roman’s stomach had felt bad but at the sight of not happy ears, it churned violently. Roman slowly sat down next to Virgil, expecting the hybrid to immediately curl up in his lap. Virgil didn’t move. He stayed in the grass, hands clasped in his lap. Roman watched as his fingers, intertwined with each other, pale and slender, twitched slightly. Roman reached over, shoving the awful feelings away, “Hey… V, are you okay…?”

Virgil nodded silently, watching as Roman’s hand gently covered his own fidgeting fingers. Roman watched as his ears slowly twitched back up and Virgil gently pressed his head underneath Roman’s chin. It was obviously very difficult for Virgil to climb from the grass and into Roman’s lap, he paused every so often but continued when Roman didn’t move away. He nuzzled up to Roman’s chest, ears twitching right under his chin. Roman gently rubbed the back of the hybrid’s neck, letting Virgil push into his hand as he started purring. Virgil settled after just a moment of scratching, leaning into his chest. Roman let out a breath as Virgil’s purring settled into his body. The stress wasn’t disappearing altogether but, with Virgil pressed against him and purring softly, it was lessening with each passing moment. Roman nestled into Virgil’s hair, smiling as the hybrid’s purring grew louder. 

A few family members tried to pry answers from Virgil during dinner but it wasn’t until Maria placed a soft hand on his hair that he looked up from his plate. Roman watched carefully for Virgil to jump or panic at the new touch, ready to whisk him away at a moment’s notice. Maria gave Virgil a soft smile, “So, Gatito,” Virgil’s ears twitched slightly at the familiar nickname and he glanced over at Roman before looking back at Maria, “Roman’s told us a little bit about who you are but I want to get to know you from you. How about we start with your birthday?”

Virgil blinked at her before quietly speaking, “December 19th…”

Roman grinned as Maria sat down next to Virgil, slowly taking his hand, “That’s soon. How old are you, Honey?”

“Twenty-two.”

Roman felt his stomach drop.  _ Twenty-two…? Virgil’s… _ He was adopted when he was young, Virgil  _ told _ Roman that he was adopted when he was young. How… How long was Virgil trapped under that man’s thumb? How many years of conditioning had Virgil crashed through to get to Roman? Roman shook his head to clear his thoughts. It didn’t matter now. It didn’t matter even with the anger that curled in Roman’s stomach. He looked down at his plate. He was protective. Maybe too protective. A warm hand was placed on Roman’s crossed arms, startling him out of his thoughts. He looked over at Virgil, whose ears had perked up, sitting perfectly still on top of his head, and then smiled, putting a hand over Virgil’s and squeezing it slightly. Virgil’s lips,  _ have they always been that pink? _ , pulled up into a soft smile before he turned back to Maria and her quiet, easy to answer questions. It only took a few more moments of conversation before dinner was slowly picked up and cleaned. Roman knew that the cards and drinks would be broken out soon. It would get loud. He squeezed Virgil’s hand, the hybrid hadn’t let go since he took it during dinner, and leaned over, “Do you want to go to bed, Virgil?”

Virgil stared at him for a moment before shaking his head, “... N-no… I’m okay… is-... can I stay…?”

_ Why is he asking? _ Roman nodded, “Of course, Honey. You can always stay.”

It did, indeed, get loud. Beers were passed around, Roman setting his own to the side- He didn’t drink a lot, he had despised the taste of most beers since his freshman year of college- and the card games were started. A few harmless rounds of poker and then a bit more… harmful rounds after a few hands. _Thank God for theater classes… _Roman could bluff like there was no tomorrow. It wasn’t until the fifth or sixth hand that Roman noticed what was wrong with the scene. Virgil was _gone._ His seat was empty. Roman looked around the room on instinct. It hadn’t gotten loud enough that Roman had noticed any sign of discomfort in the hybrid and, even if Virgil had been uncomfortable, usually, he _told _Roman or gave some sort of a sign that he was getting overwhelmed. Roman’s back straightened. _Okay, deep breaths, Roman. It’s not a big house-_ **_it’s a very big house_**_\- Virgil probably just needed a break. He can come find you as soon as he’s ready. Or maybe he’s asleep in the room. It is getting late-_ “Roman.”

Roman’s gaze shot to Laura, who was leaning over her own cards, “What?”

“Your hybrid went into the kitchen with Abuela.”

Roman let out a breath, standing as he tapped his cards into a neat pile, “I’ll be right back. Thank you, Laura.”

“Yeah. Whatever.”

The kitchen was much quieter than the dining room, soft music playing over the radio as Maria and Virgil did the dishes. His mother seemed about halfway through a story, “I really don’t know why I named him Roman but it certainly does fit him now. Doesn’t it? Like an emperor?”

“Or a Prince.”

Roman could’ve sworn that his heart dropped to the floor as Maria laughed gently, “Yes, or a prince. You’re a sweet one, Gatito.”

“... Yeah. What does that mean?”

“What does what mean, Dear?”

“G-... gatito?”

Roman smiled and answered from the doorway, “It means kitten, Little Storm.”

Virgil’s ears swiveled and perked up slightly at Roman’s voice as he turned to look at his owner over his shoulder, “... hey, Ro…”

Maria turned, putting a hand on her hip as she pointed the sponge at her son, “You better not be here to take away my little helper. He’s doing such a wonderful job with drying the dishes.”

Roman rolled his eyes with a soft smile as Virgil wrapped his arms around his midriff, nuzzling into him, “No, Mamá. I’m just checking on him. You wandered off,” Virgil stiffened in Roman’s arms and he caught his mistake immediately as Virgil’s ears turned back towards his head, Roman’s heart stopped, “Not like that, Kitten. You just worried me. That’s all. That’s all, Sweetheart. You’re not in trouble. You didn’t do anything wrong. You just wanted to help Mamá and that’s okay,” Roman repeated softly, nestling into Virgil’s hair, “You’re not in trouble.”

Virgil let out a shaky breath and nodded, pressing closer to Roman’s chest, “... not in trouble.”

“Nope.”

“... didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Never.”

“... okay.”

Roman gently put a hand on Virgil’s ears to gently coax them up, “Where are those happy ears? They were so pretty,” Virgil giggled slightly, ears twitching away from Roman’s gentle strokes until they were standing away from his head, “There they are. … do you feel a little better?”

Virgil nodded, pulling away from Roman’s embrace, “Yeah.”

Roman smiled, scratching behind his left ear just to watch as Virgil leaned into it, closing his eyes with a soft purr, “That’s good, Kitten. I’m going to go back to the dining room. You come and get me when you’re ready for bed, alright?”

“Okay.”

Roman looked up at his mother with a soft smile, “Okay. You two have fun.”

Maria nodded as she patted Roman’s cheek, “Go, win some money from your father.”

Roman scoffed playfully, “As if he’d ever actually pay me.”

Roman had won $60 from his dad, Diego, by the time Virgil emerged from the kitchen and pressed himself into Roman’s lap. Roman smiled down at the hybrid as Virgil cuddled closer to his owner’s chest and slowly closed his eyes, “Right. This is my last hand, Familia. Lay it on me.”

Laura’s nose wrinkled, “You can’t be serious? It’s only 11:30!”

Diego clicked his tongue before Roman had the chance to defend himself, “Now, Laura, Roman has a prior engagement.”

Laura chuckled as Roman motioned to the already half asleep hybrid in his lap,  _ “Whipped.” _

Roman felt his stomach coil tightly before releasing just as quickly as Virgil nuzzled closer to the warmth that he provided. He smiled at Laura and her eyes went wide,  _ “Last hand, Montes.” _

_ “You’re on, Prince.” _

Virgil slept through the last hand, even when Laura tossed her cards and accused Roman of cheating. He didn’t. … okay, maybe a little. Virgil didn’t even twitch as Roman gently placed him on the bed to get changed. It showed how dragged down and worn out he really was. Roman slowly slipped into bed as Virgil slept, trying not to disturb his peace. He didn’t give his efforts props for doing shit. Virgil shifted and slowly blinked awake as Roman settled next to him. He rubbed at his eyes as he sat up and Roman shook his head, “No. No, Kitten. It’s time to sleep. Lay back down.”

Virgil whined softly as he worked off his license, “... one second.”

Roman smiled, sitting up to easily unclasp the chain from Virgil’s neck and placing it on his nightstand, “All free, Gatito. Lay down…”

Virgil settled onto Roman’s chest, pressing his ear flat against Roman’s heartbeat. Roman let out a breath, sinking into his pillows as he closed his eyes, letting sleep wash over his senses.

Roman never liked blood. He didn’t like the smell, the feeling, anything. He especially didn’t like it when it was seeping out of an open wound on Virgil’s stomach. It was everywhere. Too red and too much for his precious hybrid to even have a chance at survival.  _ No. No, please! Not him! Not Virgil! You can take me! _ Virgil’s mismatched eyes were faraway and glazed over. Roman choked on a sob as he put pressure on the wound, “V-... Kitten. C’mon… come on…! Come back to me! You can’t-...! You can’t go! I need you. I was supposed to protect you!”

A voice curled out of the darkness, deep and coiling like a viper, “Some job you did too. You brought him right to me.”

Roman shook his head, blinking away tears, “Shut up-!”

“You weren’t good enough,” It, whatever it was, curled in Roman’s ears, “Watch him die for your  _ failures- _ ”

“ ** _NO!_ ** ”

Roman bolted upright, panting as blankets surrounded him.  _ Virgil…! _ Roman turned. He was right there. His hybrid was sleeping next to him. Just like always. Just as he should be. Roman took a shaking breath as tears started to drip down his cheeks. Virgil had moved in his sleep, rolling to face the wall instead of staying on Roman’s chest. Roman slowly sank back into the pillows and rolled until he had Virgil completely encased in his arms, safe and secure. Virgil trilled, waking up as soon as Roman’s arms wrapped around his waist, “... Ro…?”

Roman shushed him gently, “It’s okay, Kitten… it’s just me.”

“... you’re crying…”

“... it’s okay. Just… Just go back to sleep…”

Virgil’s voice was quiet, “Was it a nightmare…?”

“... yeah.”

Virgil looked over his shoulder slightly before nestling back into Roman’s arms. Roman didn’t know if he would be able to fall asleep, every shadow reminded him of  _ that voice  _ and too much blood. Roman squeezed his eyes shut, burying his face in Virgil’s hair. A quiet purring filled the room and Roman’s heart cracked.

The sun woke Roman up the next time, streaming through the window right into his eyes. Roman blinked against it and huffed slightly. He could hear quiet pots and pans in the kitchen and Virgil… Virgil was right where he was supposed to be, pressed close to Roman’s chest and completely safe. Roman pressed a kiss to his temple before slowly extracting himself from bed. His mother was in the kitchen, making breakfast… at seven in the morning. Roman smiled tiredly, exhaustion heavy on his shoulders, “Mamá, what are you doing?”

Maria looked up with a brilliant smile, Roman liked to believe that she was where he got his own smile from, “Making breakfast, Pequeño.”

“It’s seven in the morning.”

“Early bird gets the worm.”

Roman chuckled, “Right. Of course. I’m sorry for doubting you.”

Maria turned back to the stove, “What about you? Why are you up so early?”

Roman’s gaze dropped to the ground, “Couldn’t sleep.”

“That’s it? I figured it would take a lot more than that to pull you away from Virgil.”

Roman flushed as he whined, “ _ Mamá… _ ”

Maria giggled, “I know, Little Prince.”

Roman leaned against the counter as the silence dragged on. He stared at the spice rack for what felt like ages until, “... I can’t be in love with him, Mom.”

Maria froze beside him, “... What?”

“I can’t be in love with him,” Roman repeated stiffly, “I just  _ can’t. _ ”

“And why not?”

“Because I’d fuck it up. I would,” Roman flinched at the feeling of warm blood drip, drip, drip-, “I  _ would.” _

Maria shook her head, “Why do you think that?”

“Because it’s true, Mamá! I’m awful at this kind of stuff. It wouldn’t be a fair relationship. I’d hurt him, I know I would. I would fail him in one way or another and he’d… he’d be trapped with me.”

His mother sighed, “You wouldn’t hurt him, Roman, you’re a good man. You would make sure that Virgil was treated like a king.”

“He deserves it…!”

Maria turned in a flash, hand on her hip with spatula raised, “Then why don’t you, Roman?”

Roman blinked and then, “Because… I’m not good for him. I’d fail. No matter what, I would fail him. I’m not good enough-”

A fast pattering of footsteps cut Roman off and he turned just in time to have an armful of a shaking hybrid. He recognized it anywhere. Virgil had had a nightmare and Roman… wasn’t there.  _ Failure.  _ Virgil pressed to him, repeating his name like a quiet mantra under his breath. Roman let out a breath, scooping him into his arms before leaning his head against Virgil’s, “It’s okay… I’m right here, Kitten.”

Maria raised an eyebrow as Virgil slowly started to calm down, tail wrapped tightly around Roman. The Spanish floated through the air,  _ “It looks like you’re good enough in his book.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but necessary.
> 
> Love y’all lots!


	10. Midnight Thoughts

Virgil clung to Roman’s shirt as he tried to put him back on the bed. It didn’t smell like him. It wasn’t safe. Something could happen. Something  _ would _ happen if Roman wasn’t there. Roman gently rubbed his back, speaking quietly, “Kitten-”

Virgil’s voice shook as he tried to hold on to Roman, still half asleep but very much afraid, “... n-no… R-Ro… please… don’t.”

“Don’t what, Virgil? Honey, tell me.”

“ _ Don’t leave me… _ ”

Roman stiffened slightly and Virgil wanted to pull away immediately. There was a voice in his head, whispering about rules and the consequences of breaking them. Virgil shoved it to the side.  _ Roman… Roman wouldn’t hurt me. He worries about me.  _ Roman sighed, gently running a hand through the hybrid’s hair, “Oh… okay, Gatito. I won’t leave you. Nunca te dejaré si puedo evitarlo,” Virgil pressed closer to Roman’s chest as Roman gently scooped him back into his arms, “Do you want to take a bath? They always help you feel better.”

Virgil shook his head, “... no.”

Roman’s voice was gentle as he pressed his lips to Virgil’s temple, “What do you want, Kitten…?”

“... I want to stay with you…”

Roman’s arms tightened around Virgil’s body, “Okay… you can stay with me but can you sleep, Sweetheart? It’s really early…”

Virgil blinked up at Roman before, “... Where’s my license…?”

Roman’s smiled was as beautiful as ever, “It’s on the nightstand. Do you want it?”

Virgil nodded and Roman slowly and carefully retrieved the silver necklace, sliding it over Virgil’s head. The familiar weight washed over the frayed ends of Virgil’s nerves. Virgil put his head back onto Roman’s shoulder, gripping the license with one hand, “... Thank you.”

“Of course, Kitten… Can you get some sleep, Virgil?”

Vigil nodded, burying further into the sweet cinnamon scent that rolled off of Roman in waves. He slowly closed his eyes against Roman’s shoulder. Virgil had been worried yesterday when Roman had stopped in the middle of calling him, Kitten. There was a moment where Virgil’s heart had frozen in fear. He hadn’t… did he make Roman angry? Virgil let out a breath, sinking into Roman’s embrace. He wasn’t angry. Virgil was safe. _ _

Roman took a breath as Virgil slowly relaxed in his embrace. Roman adjusted his grip before moving back into the kitchen. Maria looked up from her pan, “Roman, what are you doing? Virgil should be in bed.”

Roman shook his head, “Didn’t want to lay down. He’s asleep already, Mamá. He’ll probably sleep until the food’s ready. He’s a pretty heavy sleeper like this.”

Maria raised an eyebrow, “You mean in your arms?”

“Oh.  _ Mom…” _

“I’m only saying, Pequeño. He seems very comfortable with you.”

Roman sat in a chair at the dining table, running a hand over Virgil’s back, earning a very quiet purr before Virgil settled once more, “I’ve been his owner for… two months now. Well, officially, only for a few weeks, that was when we got his license.”

Maria glanced at Virgil and smiled softly, “The license that he’s holding?”

Roman looked down and his heart pounded at the sight of Virgil curled up into his chest, one hand twisted in his shirt and the other was clasped around his license. Roman held the hybrid as close as he could, “Yeah… He’s attached to it.”

“Attached… it looks like he would rather cut off his own hand than give it up.”

Roman chuckled softly, “I really don’t know, Mamá.”

Maria giggled slightly and turned back to the stove. It was quiet for a moment before Maria spoke once more, “I hope your kitten likes chorizo.”

Roman choked on a laugh, “I tried to substitute bacon for it one morning and he took the bacon and then asked, specifically, for chorizo.”

Maria laughed, “I feel like I would’ve liked to see that.”

Roman shook his head, “He just looked at me like he was personally offended that I didn’t make chorizo. His favorite is your shrimp enchiladas.”

Maria turned, “Really?! Is that why you asked for the recipe a few weeks ago?”

Roman nodded, “I had to halve the jalepañoes. They can make him sick.”

Maria hummed, “I’ll be sure to make a few dishes without them for Thanksgiving.”

“Thanks, Mamá…”

When the food was just starting to cook and the smell wafted through the air, Virgil moved, shifting on Roman’s lap and lifting his head away from Roman’s shoulder. His eyes were half-closed as he rubbed at them. Roman smiled softly, letting the hybrid wake up on his own time. Maria turned and smiled as Virgil scratched at his left ear, “Buenos días, Gatito.”

Virgil blinked, looking around the kitchen, “... good morning.”

“Are you hungry, Dear?”

Virgil nodded immediately and moved off of Roman’s lap, sitting at the table, “... what is it?”

Roman glanced over at Virgil, “What does it smell like, Kitten?”

Virgil fiddled with his license, “It… it smells like… chorizo.”

Maria placed a plate of eggs, chorizo, and toast in front of him, “Very good, Virgil. Eat up. There’s more after you finish that plate,” Maria stroked Virgil’s ears as he piled eggs and chorizo onto a piece of toast, Virgil leaned into her hand, “You really are too skinny, Conejito. Roman, do you feed him at all? This is awful. He’s all skin and bones. Don’t worry, Mijo. We’ll fatten you up in no time.”

Roman chuckled, “Mamá, I feed him.”

“Are you sure, Principito?”

Roman groaned, going to defend himself before Virgil looked up, “He does, Mrs. Prince.”

Maria laughed quietly, continuing to stroke Virgil’s ears, “I suppose I have to believe you.”

Virgil nodded, continuing to eat his toast. Roman smiled as he poured himself a cup of coffee from the coffee maker. Virgil wasn’t purring, oddly enough. He always purred when Roman messed with his hair or stroked his ears but he sat there, silent with his tail slowly curling in the air. He was relaxed with just Roman and his mother in the room. Maria looked over at Roman with a raised eyebrow, speaking in Spanish,  _ “Does he purr for you?” _

Roman nodded, taking a sip of coffee,  _ “I don’t know why he’s not purring now. He’s relaxed and happy.” _

Maria shrugged, pressing a kiss to Virgil’s head and moved back to the stove. Virgil kicked his legs in his chair as he ate. Roman sat down next to him and gently stroked Virgil’s ear. It was silent for a moment before Virgil started to lean into his owner’s hand and purred. Maria turned with an incredulous look as Roman grinned with a shrug. He supposed that he was Virgil’s favorite person. That filled his heart with warmth and sent his mind spinning. Virgil finished his plate of eggs and chorizo and then chewed on the last piece of toast as Roman finished his cup of coffee. The front door opened around 8:30 and Roman could hear Valerie and her husband walk through the entry hall and he stood immediately to greet them. Something stopped him by the back of his shirt. Roman looked over his shoulder and smiled softly, “Want to come with me, Kitten? It’s just another cousin and her family. She has three kids. They’re little ones… It’s going to get a bit loud. Okay?”

Virgil’s ears twitched slightly before he nodded and reached out to Roman. Roman smiled, gently picking him up. Maria had already left the kitchen but Roman was right behind her, “Valerie!”

“Roman- who’s this?”

Roman patted Virgil’s back, “This is Virgil. He’s…” Valerie raised a sculpted eyebrow until Roman spit out, “He’s my hybrid.”

Valerie nodded with a slightly teasing smile, “Oh. Right. Of course.”

She looked at Maria with a wink and Roman huffed, “Virgil, this is Valerie, she’s a cousin.”

Virgil lifted his head to look over at Valerie. She smiled brightly, “You’re adorable, Virgil.”

Virgil’s ears twitched and he made a tiny noise before ducking back into Roman’s shoulder. Roman chuckled slightly, rubbing his back, “It’s okay, Kitten. She won’t hurt you.”

Virgil murmured softly, “I know… You wouldn’t let them…”

Roman let out a sigh of relief, “That’s right, Virgil. I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you.”

_ Ever again.  _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Virgil wasn’t sure why he woke up early on Wednesday morning. It was still dark… So, it might have still been Tuesday. Virgil lifted his head off the pillow, ears twitching as he heard Roman’s breath behind him. Roman was still sleeping soundly. He hadn’t even shifted. Virgil slowly, ever so slowly, wiggled his way out of Roman’s grip. He didn’t even know where he was going but the bedroom felt too small. He slowly pushed open the door and crept out into the house. It was silent as the occupants slept through the night. Maybe he had slept in for too long on Monday and Tuesday morning. He really wasn’t sure why he was awake. He should just go back to bed. Roman would wake up and worry if Virgil wasn’t at his side… which was oddly sentimental. Virgil’s nose wrinkled.  _ Sentimental… That’s a weird word for it.  _ Roman was protective but not unbearably so. It just felt like being truly taken care of. Virgil plopped onto the couch, fiddling with his license. The weight had grown so familiar and comforting. He couldn’t leave his bed without it. The silver gleamed in the moonlight that drifted in through the windows. Virgil smiled softly at the inscription.  _ Virgil Prince.  _ He could never grow used to it. He was an actual companion to someone… to a brilliant person… Roman… Roman had scooped him as a stray off the street and took him in… because he had a cold. Humans… they never ceased to amaze Virgil. Well, the humans that hung around Roman at least. Logan seemed intimidating at first but was actually a massive nerd at the end of the day. Virgil and he had started watching Doctor Who together… The science and aliens always entertained the hybrid. Patton was a wonderful veterinarian. Virgil didn’t like shots or having anybody poke or prod at him but Patton always made sure to calm him down before actually going through with anything. They understood that Virgil wanted Roman when he was having a hard day. They made sure to give him space when he needed it and love and affection when he pushed his way into their personal space. They never got mad. Virgil swallowed past the lump in his throat, brushing his thumb over the tiny divots in the metal,  _ Virgil Prince _ . He-... he had a family. Like… an actual family… Virgil sniffled, wiping away the tears that started sliding down his cheeks. He looked up as there was a fast pattern of footsteps in the hall. He tried to wipe away any evidence of crying as Roman spun around the corner. His hair was sticking up random areas, making him look like he was a startled… well, cat. His eyes softened as he took in Virgil’s shape on the couch. The emeralds in his eyes flashed silver in the moonlight. Roman sighed, immediately picking his way to the couch, “Oh, Kitten, did you have a nightmare?”

Virgil shook his head, “No,” Roman shot him a look and Virgil pressed, “I didn’t. Really. You would’ve woken up.”

Roman knelt in front of the couch, “I did wake up… and you weren’t there. How long have you been awake?”

Virgil shrugged honestly, “Not long. I promise. I just-... I just woke up,” Roman glanced up and Virgil wrinkled his nose, “Stop using my ears as mood rings, Roman.”

Roman chuckled and Virgil watched as his brilliant smile appeared, “I’m sorry, Virgil. You’ve just got this habit of not telling the full story sometimes.”

Virgil blinked. He did. He knew that but-  _ rules.  _ Virgil shook his head to clear his thoughts, “I know… I’m sorry. I did just wake up. I know that it’s late.”

Roman nodded before cupping Virgil’s cheek, wiping at the trail of tears, Virgil shoved down the purr that was building in his diaphragm, “I’m not worried about that. You can sleep in. You were crying,” Roman’s eyebrows creased in worry, “What’s wrong?”

Virgil tightened his grip around his license, “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

“If it’s your back-”

“My back hasn’t hurt in a week, Ro…”

Roman let out a breath, “Right and the scars are already fading,” Roman glanced down, focusing on the clasped hand, “... is it your license? Is it too tight? Or heavy? You don’t have to wear it-”

Virgil laughed gently, “Don’t you dare take it away from me.”

Roman looked up at him, surprise evident in his eyes, “... everything’s fine?”

Virgil nodded, “I just-... I was thinking.”

“A dangerous pastime.”

Virgil smiled and pressed into Roman’s hand, “I’m glad you found me.”

Roman blinked and then smiled, thumb gently grazing his cheek, “Virgil… I’m  _ so _ glad I found you.”

“I just never expected to have…  _ this. _ ”

Roman raised an eyebrow, “This?”

“A caring owner,” Roman’s cheeks went pink as his smile grew, “Or a family… or coming to someone’s house for Thanksgiving… or eating too much that I feel sick-”

“You just wait until Thursday. You’re gonna be stuffed and then you can sleep it off.”

Virgil rolled his eyes, “You would let me sleep for a month if I wanted to.”

“Duh. I’d let you do anything. You’re everything to me.”

Virgil choked on a weak sob and Roman looked alarmed as more tears started to cascade down his cheeks, “ _ My _ owner.”

Roman’s smile was heartbreaking, “My kitten. … why don’t we go lay down?”

Virgil nodded and released the hold he had on his purring as Roman scooped him up. The bed smelled like Roman and Roman… Roman smelled like home.

The bed was empty when Virgil awoke but the sun was filtering through the blinds. Virgil stretched out before reaching for his phone. 8:30. It wasn’t that early. Virgil flopped back into the pillows, letting out a breath. He didn’t want to go back to sleep but he didn’t want to get up either.  _ That’s new. _ He wanted to be lazy. There was no need to go bolting for cover or stay as quiet as he possibly could. His ears twitched at the quiet noises from the kitchen, pots, pans, and muffled voices. Virgil smiled softly, rolling over to bury himself properly in the pillows. The door creaked as it opened, “Kitten, are you awake?”

Virgil picked up his head, looking over his shoulder to smile at Roman, “... yeah.”

Roman was fully dressed, a jacket tied around his waist, “That’s good. C’mon. Breakfast is ready.”

Virgil sat up immediately, “What’re we having?”

Roman grinned, offering an open hand, “What do you think?”

Virgil took his hand with a smile, “Chorizo?”

Roman gasped and pressed his lips to Virgil’s forehead, “You’re so smart, Kitten.”

Virgil giggled softly as they entered into the kitchen. Maria turned, “Good morning, Virgil.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Prince.”

Maria smiled, emerald eyes a carbon copy of Roman’s, “It’s Maria, Gatito. Get a seat. Are you hungry?”

Virgil nodded and slid into the chair next to Roman as Laura trotted into the room in exercise clothes. Roman leaned back in his seat, “Nice fit, Laura.”

Laura smirked over at him as she fished an apple from the basket on the counter, “Don't start a fight you can’t finish, Roman.”

“Oh. I can finish it.”

There was challenge lacing through Roman’s voice as Laura turned, slowly placing the apple onto the countertop, “Bring it on,  _ Princey _ .”

Maria sighed as both cousins surged to their feet, back door slamming open as they tumbled outside. Virgil winced slightly at the loud noise and Maria soothed her hand over his ears, “Forgive them, Virgil. They do this every year.”

Virgil chuckled quietly, “It’s okay… I don’t mind.”

“Just don’t get in the middle of them. Nobody wants you to get hurt.”

“Thank you… Maria.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Gatito.”

It only took a few more minutes for Roman and Laura to reappear, breathing heavily. Roman had grass in his hair that he allowed Virgil to pick out as he sat down at the table. Laura smiled at Virgil before disappearing and leaving from the front door. Maria placed plates on the table as a few other family members joined them, including Valerie and her family. Roman reached over and soothed Virgil’s ear as it twitched back as the noise climbed steadily. He leaned over, whispering quietly, “I’ve got you, Kitten. Nothing will happen to you while I’m here.”

Virgil looked over at Roman and pressed closer to him instinctively. It felt like home. It felt like an owner. Virgil smiled softly.  _ I love you. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *presses post button*
> 
> I’m going to bed now, I love you all.


	11. Thanksgiving (pt. 1)

Roman woke up to a quiet whimper and Virgil turning in his arms. Roman shushed the hybrid in his embrace as gently as he could, “Virgil, Kitten… it’s okay. Es sólo una pesadilla. Despierta…”

Virgil’s eyes snapped open as Roman ran a hand up and down his side. He was breathing heavily but it didn’t look like he was about to cry, which lessened the weight on Roman’s heart. Virgil rubbed at his eyes, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. It was just a nightmare. You can’t control those.”

Virgil nodded, “I know… I just don’t like waking you up.”

Roman hummed softly, running a hand over Virgil’s hair, “I know you don’t… are you alright?”

Virgil nodded as Roman slowly laid his head back onto his pillow, “I’m fine…”

“What happened in your nightmare? Talk me through it.”

Virgil shook slightly before rolling and pressing into Roman’s chest, “I just… I don’t know… I was running in the dark… and then he was there-...”

“Who was, Kitten?”

“... Warren… Warren Rosen… he… he was my owner… before you.”

Roman’s arms tightened around Virgil immediately as if to shield him from the man who had already hurt him so much, “Oh, Honey…”

“I know he can’t get to me anymore. You wouldn’t let that happen.”

“Not while I’m standing.”

Virgil gave a soft whine, “I know, that’s what scares me.”

“What do you mean?”

Virgil sat up, forcing Roman to roll onto his back and swung his leg over Roman’s waist. Roman had blinked and Virgil was on top of him, gripping his shirt, “In every nightmare, every  _ single  _ one, you get hurt! And it’s because of  _ me, _ ” Tears started dripping down Virgil’s cheeks, panic seizing Roman’s chest as his ears pinned to his head, “It’s always because of me. I can’t watch you get hurt,” Virgil’s voice was getting breathy as he spoke past weak sobs, “I can’t, Roman. I really  _ can’t. _ You can’t get hurt-...! You can’t! Not because of me! Please-!”

Roman shushed the oncoming panic as he sat up, wiping away tears from Virgil’s cheeks, “Virgil, it’s okay. I’m okay. Look, I’m right here. I’m fine.”

Virgil sobbed, clinging onto Roman’s shirt, “You-... you can’t get hurt because of me… you can’t-! You have to promise.”

“Virgil…”

“Promise me!”

Roman sighed, drawing Virgil into his chest, “I can’t promise that,” Virgil’s shoulders shook, “Only because I am  _ very  _ clumsy,” That got a small giggle, “And, Virgil, there is no way that I could sit by if you get hurt. I refuse to be worthless in that way. You can ask me for  _ anything. _ Except to watch you get hurt. I will not promise to not protect you.  _ Ever. _ ”

Virgil pressed closer to him, “... okay.”

Roman let out a breath, slowly laying back down, “Okay. Okay… just sleep, Kitten. I’m right here.”

Virgil nuzzled into his chest, “Okay…”

Virgil shook for a few more moments before relaxing into Roman’s chest. Roman brushed his knuckles against Virgil’s cheek, “Tomorrow is Thanksgiving… you ready to eat?”

Virgil nodded slightly, tilting his head into Roman’s hand, “Yeah… and then sleep it off?”

“A food coma, Gatito. A full food coma. You can sleep all day long and I swear that no one will bother you.”

Virgil sighed softly, melting into Roman’s embrace, “That sounds nice…”

“Of course it does… You’re sleepy.”

Virgil hummed and Roman listened quietly as his breath grew lighter. He was asleep. Roman closed his eyes, pressing a kiss to Virgil’s head. 

Roman could hear his mom in the kitchen when he woke up, already hard at work to put together the Thanksgiving feast. Valerie would be awake at any moment to help her out. Roman usually went in and sat with his mother during the quiet morning hours, between the time she started cooking and Valerie appeared, but he wasn’t moving. Not with Virgil sleeping peacefully on his chest. He knew that his mom would understand. How could anyone leave when they had a sleeping hybrid on their chest? He ran a hand through Virgil’s hair, listening to the quiet hitch in Virgil’s breath. Roman froze as a quiet purring filled the room. Roman smiled, waiting for Virgil to lift his head and look at him but his kitten just slipped off his chest and nuzzled into the blanket. Roman slowly sat up, placing a hand in the middle of Virgil’s shoulder blades, “Honey. Are you going to be okay if I go sit with Mamá?”

Virgil lifted his head slightly, eyes half-closed, “... mmhmm.”

Roman’s smile softened, “Just go back to sleep, Kitten.”

Virgil nodded, laying back into the pillows as Roman carefully tucked him back into the blankets. The kitchen was a bit louder than Roman expected and Maria jumped when she turned and faced Roman, “¡Oh Dios mío! Pequeño, what are you doing up? Where’s Virgil?”

“He’s sleeping, Mamá. He’ll be fine. Can I help with anything?”

Maria nodded, “Can you make breakfast?”

Roman raised an eyebrow with a soft laugh, “Chorizo?”

“I was thinking huevos con rancheros.”

“Yes, Mamá.”

Virgil woke up to the door opening and Roman’s voice, “Kitten, it’s time to get up. Breakfast is ready.”

Virgil sat up, rubbing at his eyes. He could still feel the drag of his crying spell on his shoulders from the night before, “Can I take a bath after breakfast?”

Roman’s eyes sparkled in the sunlight, “Of course. Just stay in your pajamas for breakfast.”

Virgil raised his eyebrow, “Is that allowed?”

“Of course. Look, I’m still in my pajamas. C’mon,” Virgil shuffled out of bed, pulling his license on over his head. Roman smiled softly, “Are you hungry?”

Virgil nodded, taking Roman’s hand in his, “... What are we having?”

“Huevos con rancheros, which is not chorizo,” Virgil wrinkled his nose as Roman laughed, “Yes. It’s very disappointing but you’ll like this too.”

The dining room wasn’t too crowded as Roman and Virgil entered. Valerie and her husband were sitting side by side but their kids were nowhere to be seen until the youngest, Luis, sprang out to hug Roman around the waist, prattling on about something in Spanish. Virgil pulled away as Roman scooped his little cousin into his arms, speaking just as quickly. Something stirred in his stomach. It wasn’t quite anger, something that Virgil wasn’t permitted to feel a few months ago, but it wasn’t quite sadness either. Virgil watched as Roman moved to his cousin, kissing the top of her head, still speaking in the fast-paced confusing language. His mind spun for a moment before a voice whispered from the dark corners, creeping forward like a spider crawling across his skin,  _ you don’t belong here.  _ Virgil stiffened. Of course, he belonged here. Roman was his owner. He had wanted Virgil to come-  _ He’s being nice. That’s it. You don’t belong in this family. They’re wonderful and clean. You are covered in scars. What makes you think that you ever belonged here with them?  _ Virgil shook his head. So it was going to be a bad day, then. Virgil took a small step back. It wasn’t crowded but it was too loud… Why was it so loud…? Roman looked up from his cousin and, Virgil knew, he knew that Roman could see the twitching tail and the pinned back ears and the panic that was crawling over his skin. There was a clang from the kitchen and Virgil jumped. Suddenly, it felt like he was trapped back in that room. That dark and damp room that was too small for a hybrid to feel comfortable at all. It was one more step back and Roman gently whispered, “Virgil… Honey, are you okay?”

Virgil shook his head, struggling to take a deep breath as he took another step back. Roman set down Luis and slowly moved around the table, his hands held at his chest, palms out, “Virgil… Kitten, I need you to come back to me.”

Virgil’s back hit the wooden frame of the door.  _ Trapped. Too close. Too close.  _ ** _TOO CLOSE._ ** “ _ DON’T.” _

Roman pulled back, he was a few feet away but he stopped anyways, “Okay… okay. Virgil, can you hear me…?” Virgil nodded quickly, “Okay. That’s so good, Kitten. That’s so good. You know… you know, I would never hurt you. I could never. I could never see those sad eyes because of me,” The door to the left of Virgil opened and he shoved himself into a corner as Roman held up a hand, “No te muevas, Mamá. Virgil. Virgil, Honey, don’t hurt yourself… you’re safe. You’re not in that place… he’s not here.”

Virgil knew that. Logically, he knew that Warren wouldn’t be able to track him down in Florida. He still let out a broken plea, “p-please…”

Roman looked heartbroken, “Honey… I know. I know you’re scared. I know you’re trapped in your head. It’s okay. I’m right here. I’d never let anyone hurt you. They’d never get close to you. I wouldn’t let them.”

Virgil shook his head, sliding to the ground with his hands clasped over his ears, delicate and easily grabbed. He was shaking as he felt tears on his cheeks. He could feel the old bruises, the old scars, flaring back to life. Everything  _ hurt. _ Virgil squeezed his eyes shut.  _ You should’ve stayed in that warehouse. It’s where you  _ ** _belong_ ** \- soft hands slowly skated across his skin and he jumped before he was enveloped in warmth. Virgil wanted to push back, to shove away the embrace, before the smell of cinnamon filled his nose.  _ Roman… Roman. Roman. Safe. Home. Roman.  _ Virgil sagged into Roman’s chest and slowly felt him be lifted off the ground. There was murmuring around him as he laid his head on Roman’s shoulder, burying his face into his owner’s collarbone.  ** _you ruin everything._ ** Virgil trembled as they started moving. It was silent. Roman’s voice was murmured near his ear, “Do you want to take a bath? You can keep on your boxers if you need me…”

The water was scalding hot, Virgil had turned on the knobs himself, some part of him holding onto that scrap of normalcy as the rest of his mind and body shook apart. Roman’s hands were gentle as he slowly washed Virgil’s hair. Virgil stared at the water in front of him, unseeing. Roman’s heart was cast in lead at the sight. He had called Patton as Virgil filled the bathtub. 

“Patton, what do I do?”

_ “Stay calm. Stay supportive. He’ll come back to you.” _

Roman spat, “I am being calm.”

_ “No, you’re not. You’re angry.” _

Roman hated how calm Patton sounded, “... so?”

_ “Virgil doesn’t need angry right now. He doesn’t need a revenge plan. He needs his owner. He needs you, Roman . Stay with him.” _

“I will. … what even is this?”

_ “PTSD. It must’ve been building from the stress of traveling… he’ll be okay, Ro. Just-” _

“Stay close. I know.”

_ “Good job.” _

Virgil was silent as he pulled on Roman’s hoodie before working on his pajama pants. His moves were robotic. He didn’t flinch when Roman moved to pick him up. He barely even reacted, besides his hands clinging onto Roman’s shirt. When Roman settled them both onto the bed, he expected Virgil to bolt, to find a small corner to curl up in. The hybrid didn’t move from his chest. Roman slowly scratched at his ear, waiting for the purring… it never came. Virgil stayed silent. He felt so faraway. Roman tugged a blanket over Virgil’s shoulders before fishing his phone from his pocket, “Once upon a time, the king of a great land died, and left his queen to take care of their only child. This child was a daughter, who was very beautiful; and her mother loved her dearly, and was very kind to her. And there was a good fairy too, who was fond of the princess, and helped her mother to watch over her…”

Roman wasn’t sure when Virgil had fallen asleep but he knew that the story would help and he had been right. Virgil was limp on his chest, his damp hair seeping into his shirt. Roman couldn’t bring himself to care as Virgil slept. It was nearly twelve when Virgil shifted, ears twitching as he awoke. He looked around the room with half-lidded eyes before dropping his head back to Roman’s chest, “I-... what happened?”

Roman wanted to cry. Virgil’s voice was so weak and broken. “You had an episode… Patton says you might have PTSD…”

Virgil gave a weak whimper, “I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t apologize… you know, I think the food will be ready in a few hours. Why don’t you just get some more sleep? I’ll wake you when dinner’s done.”

Virgil let out a breath and sank back into Roman’s embrace.

“Dinner” was at three and Virgil was nearly silent the whole meal. The family greeted him separately when he appeared. Roman had refused to force him out of his pajamas. He ate quietly, answering all questions with either a shrug or a head movement. He didn’t want to talk and Roman didn’t blame him. Dessert was being passed around, the conversation around the table had grown to a steady exchange. Maria slowly placed a small package in front of Virgil with a whispered, “Welcome to the family, Conejito.”

Virgil stared at the package before slowly opening it. His eyes widened as he fished a brand new beanie from the tissue paper. It was a loose fit just like Roman’s old one but this one was hand knitted. Black cat noses and whiskers decorated the beanie. Virgil’s ears twitched and they perked up halfway before he wrapped his arms around Roman’s mother, “... thank you…”

Roman’s smile was cut off by his phone vibrating from his pocket. He fished it out and raised an eyebrow at the text.

** _Message Received from Unknown_ **

** ** _ Don’t get used to it. It’s not yours. _

Virgil nuzzled into Roman’s chest, his new beanie tugged over his ears. It was soft and Virgil’s heart sang at the gift. Maria had  _ made  _ it for him. He lifted his head from Roman’s shirt, his owner was sleeping-  _ “Food coma, Virgil. You’ll love it. You’re full, right? It’s going to be good for you.” _ \- there was noise from the kitchen but he easily dropped his head back onto Roman’s chest, listening as his heartbeat and breath matched. Virgil closed his eyes. He was safe here... 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ✌🏻 Love you all.


	12. Thanksgiving (pt. 2)

Roman woke up to Virgil moving. Panic swirled in his chest for a moment before Virgil pressed closer and went limp once more. He was just getting closer… Roman took a deep breath as Virgil’s hand gripped his shirt. He was so whipped. He lifted his head as his phone vibrated on the bed next to him. 

** _Message Received from _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ I want an update on Virgil.  _

_ Please. _

Roman chuckled to himself and opened his camera, taking a quick picture of Virgil laying on his chest. Virgil’s face was smooth in his sleep, bangs hanging over his eyes. Roman smiled softly, wrapping his arm around Virgil’s shoulders tightly.

** _Message Sent to _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ Here. He’s sleeping. He ate dinner and now we’re taking a nap. _

** _Message Received from _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ That’s good. Is he talking? _

** _Message Sent to _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ A little. He asked what happened the first time he woke up after the episode… Patton, I felt so useless… _

** _Message Received from _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ No, Kiddo. You did everything just right. You kept him from hurting himself. You got him out of the situation and into an area that was closed off and safe in his eyes. You helped him get comfortable and read him a story so that he could sleep. You are a trusted figure in Virgil’s eyes. He knew that you would be able to protect him. It’s why he’s sleeping right now on your chest, in your arms.  _

Roman let out a breath. He should probably tell Patton… he should. Especially-... especially considering what Virgil has gone through… Roman closed his eyes, pressing his phone to his forehead before pulling it away.

** _Message Sent to _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ Patton… I think I might be in love with Virgil… _

** _Message Received from _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ …  _

_ Kiddo… _

_ I know. _

** _Message Sent to _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ … what. _

** _Message Received from _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ I know. It was kind of obvious. Even Logan saw it and he’s oblivious. _

** _Message Sent to _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ He’s your boyfriend. _

** _Message Received from _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ Yes, and I love him dearly. But did you really only figure this out now? Roman, you let Virgil clamber all over you. You protect him and you love him and that’s okay. So long as Virgil is taken care of no matter what he feels for you. _

** _Message Sent to _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ Of course. I couldn’t just abandon him. Even if he doesn’t feel the same way. _

** _Message Received from _ ** 🐶 ** _Patt_ ** 🐶

_ Then that’s all you need to know. It’s up to you if you tell him. _

Virgil stirred against Roman’s chest, slowly blinking awake. Roman dropped his phone onto the pillow next to him, “Hey… how are you feeling…?”

Virgil shrugged, “Better… never had a food coma nap before.”

Roman laughed gently, “Feels good, right? I told you.”

Virgil nodded, slowly moving to sit up, “I kinda want more pie.”

Roman snorted softly as Virgil moved off the bed. He shucked off Roman’s hoodie and pulled a clean, white and red three-quarter baseball shirt out of his duffle bag. Roman braced himself up on his elbows. No matter what Maria had said, Virgil was gaining weight. His skin and bones had gained some semblance of fat around them and it made Roman’s heart soar to watch his cheeks fill out and then start getting their natural soft pink glow back. The first time Virgil had pulled off his shirt around Roman, he could see the hybrid’s ribs. Now, he had a healthy build, still on the thin side but beautiful nonetheless. The only problem was the crisscross pattern across his back and the small scars that littered his skin, the only remnants of the past of hell that Virgil had been through. It was still a very big question in Roman’s mind.  _ What kind of monster would hurt something so amazing? _ “What?”

Roman blinked, snapping him out of his thoughts, “I’m sorry?”

Virgil glanced down at himself, looking like an angel in black sweatpants and his pristine shirt, “You’re staring at me. Do I look okay?”

“Of course, Kitten. You look fine.”

Virgil tilted his head slightly, “Then why are you staring at me?”

“No reason, Honey. I guess I’m just a little sleepy.”

Virgil’s eyebrows creased, “Go back to sleep.”

Roman smiled, “Virgil…”

“If you’re still sleepy, you should be sleeping.”

Roman chuckled, “I’ll be fine. If I sleep any longer, I won’t sleep at all tonight. What about you? Are you feeling good?”

Virgil nodded, “Yeah but you already asked me that.”

Roman let out a breath, “Yeah. I did. I’m sorry.”

Virgil blinked at him before clambering onto the bed and sitting on Roman’s waist. Roman choked on his breath. Virgil wasn’t very straight forward with a lot of things but it seemed like he was taking this moment very seriously. Virgil’s hands were soft as he gently cupped Roman’s cheek, “Why do you insist on taking care of me but not taking care of yourself?”

Roman swallowed thickly and wondered if Virgil could hear his pounding heartbeat. If his twitching ears were anything to go by, he probably could. Roman prayed that his voice wouldn’t crack and he wouldn’t end up squeaking, “Honey, I really am okay. I woke up before you. Okay?”

Virgil scrunched up his nose, “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive,” Roman gently scratched underneath Virgil’s chin, grinning as Virgil closed his eyes and lifted his head, “Let’s just go get some pie.”

Virgil purred happily as he ate Maria’s cherry pie, swinging his legs in his chair. Roman had grabbed a cookie out of a batch that Valerie had made that morning. Maria was sipping at her coffee as Virgil ate, speaking to Roman,  _ “Why won’t he purr for me? He purrs for you or when you’re nearby.” _

Roman chuckled, taking a bite of his cookie,  _ “I really don’t know, Mom. I just think we’ve been around each other for enough time. He trusts me.” _

Maria nodded,  _ “Does he trust many other people?” _

Roman thought for a moment,  _ “He doesn’t purr for Patton or Logan all that often. He just needs time to build trust. I’m bringing him home for my summer trip. You’ll be able to bond then.” _

_ “And Christmas?” _

Roman chuckled,  _ “And Christmas. It will be small this year, won’t it? Thanksgiving is always loud. We can make Christmas quiet and less stressful for you and for Virgil. You wouldn’t have to cook so much, it can just be us and we can go visit Gramma.” _

Maria grinned,  _ “Now, that sounds like fun. You just know she would love to meet your little kitten.” _

Virgil looked up from his pie, “Are you talking about me?”

Roman turned to look at the hybrid, “What do you mean?”

Virgil glanced between his owner and Maria, “You said gatito. You call me that. I don’t understand Spanish but I’m not stupid.”

Roman let out a breath, “I know you aren’t, Kitten. We’re just talking about Christmas. Would you like to come back here for longer at Christmas?”

Virgil cocked his head to the side, “What do we do at Christmas?”

Roman hummed in thought for a moment before taking a bite of his cookie, “We eat and play and give and get gifts. We visit family members and celebrate.”

Virgil lifted an eyebrow, “... That just sounds like Thanksgiving.”

Roman stopped and looked over at his mother, “Uh… It’s like Thanksgiving but with gifts and songs and parties. You’ll love it, Kitten.”

“But I already got a gift?”

Maria laughed gently, “Yes, you did, Dear, and it looks splendid on you but Christmas is for bigger gifts.”

“Bigger… gifts? But I already have-”

“You get  _ more  _ gifts, Darling. You are a sweet, little hybrid. You are meant to be spoiled and if the Prince family is good at anything, it’s spoiling cute things that deserve it.”

Virgil’s cheeks were pink as he stared at Roman’s mother and his owner. He had been told in the shop by his mother when he was very young that when Virgil gets adopted, his owner will keep him well fed and warm and loved and very,  _ very _ spoiled. It had been a pipe dream. Virgil had been adopted by Warren Rosen and shoved into a very small room but he didn’t have to relive all those moments, not anymore. Besides, how could he when Roman was smiling at him with shining eyes, “Does that sound fun, Virgil?”

Virgil blinked and nodded, “Yeah- yes. It sounds really fun.”

Roman laughed gently, “Then we’ll come back for Christmas!”

Virgil grinned as Maria took another sip of the coffee that she had made as she heated up Virgil’s pie. Maria glanced at the two of them, listening to the ruckus of the family outside in the yard. “Alright, it’s tradition, Pequeños. Name three things you’re grateful for.”

Roman groaned as Virgil looked up from his plate, licking pie filling off of his thumb, “What…?”

Maria smiled, “It’s Thanksgiving tradition. You have to list three things that you’re grateful that you have. Roman?”

“Mamá, do I have to?”

“You missed it before dinner for a very good reason but I want to hear them, Pequeño.”

Roman shoved the rest of the cookie into his mouth and Virgil bit the inner lining of his cheek to keep from giggling. Maria looked at her son expectantly as Roman brushed his hands off on a dishtowel. Roman looked at her and then let out a breath, “Okay. Okay. What am I grateful for…? What I am grateful for is,” Roman wrapped an arm around his mother’s shoulders, “your wonderful cooking, Mamá, and my very large family,” Roman smiled softly at Virgil, “And for adventures yet to come.”

Maria laughed, patting his hand, “Always my little, dramatic prince. And Virgil? What are three things that you are grateful for?”

Virgil didn’t think he could shove all of his gratitude into three things in a list but he had to try. He, at least, had to try. He looked down at his plate and then back up at the two Princes, tugging at his license in thought, “... I’m grateful for… baths and… beanies… and licenses.”

Roman blinked before his smile became blinding, “I am very grateful for that too.”

Virgil smiled and reached out for Roman almost immediately as Roman stepped closer. He didn’t hesitate to scoop Virgil up and then the back door opened, “Hey! You coming out here anytime soon? We’re playing cards.”

Roman chuckled at Laura’s challenge- Virgil liked Laura, she was fun- “Of course, Laura. I’ll come kick your ass and take your money. Do you want to stay in here, Kitten? I don’t mind,” Virgil shook his head, pressing closer to Roman’s chest, who laughed softly, “Why do I even ask anymore?”

It was a rhetorical question but Virgil lifted his head to look Roman in the eyes, “Because you care.”

Roman’s smile was beautiful as he rubbed a circle in Virgil’s back, “I do. I care a lot, Virgil.”

Virgil dropped his head back to Roman’s shoulder, closing his eyes. He could’ve fallen asleep then and there but he knew that if he stayed awake, he’d sleep better that night. Even if his stomach was pleasantly full and a warm lull filled his body, he’d stay awake. Roman settled into a chair, letting Virgil adjust himself to be comfortable before asking to be dealt into the game. Virgil watched from where he was pressed into his owner’s collarbone. It was oddly quiet as the cards were dealt, the only loud sources of notice were the kids behind them in the grass, shouting and playing. Roman sorted his cards in some way that Virgil was sure made sense to  _ him _ but not to the hybrid. He lifted his head once more, whispering to not break the quiet concentration around the table, “What are you playing?”

Roman whispered right back, “Poker, Kitten. It’s a betting game.”

Diego spoke up from the other side of the table, “It’s a $10 buy in.”

Roman scoffed, “Just take it off of what you owe me.”

Diego raised a dark eyebrow and Virgil pressed impossibly closer into Roman’s chest until he sighed, “Oh fine, I’ll go get my wallet, Papá.”

Virgil sat up, “I can go get it.”

“Oh, Virgil, it’s-”

Virgil slipped out of Roman’s half embrace and off of his lap, “I’ll be right back.”

Virgil moved into the house and then their room. Roman’s wallet was sitting on the nightstand. Virgil held it close to his chest, about to leave the room when his phone and headphones caught his eye, sitting on top of  _ Jurassic Park.  _ Virgil shook his head to clear his thoughts, going to push forward before turning and grabbing the small pile. The table was laughing when Virgil moved outside. Roman’s cheeks were pink as he shook his head, speaking rapidly in Spanish when Virgil approached, glancing at the people around the table before touching Roman’s arm and offering the leather wallet. Roman jumped but smiled as Virgil climbed back into his lap. He pressed his lips to Virgil’s temple, who felt his tail curl happily at the affection, “Thank you, Little Storm.”

Virgil didn’t understand that nickname. He put the book and phone on his lap, watching as the group started playing. Virgil watched as flat, round pieces were placed on the table, Roman explained quietly, “They’re called chips. It’s a substitution for money.”

Virgil nodded. He continued watching, curious as more chips fell onto the table, cards got traded in for new ones, and a few people threw down their cards. It kept happening over and over until it was just Roman, Laura, and Diego. Roman was silent as the three players considered each other and Virgil was struck with how much this looked like a standoff between the hero and the villains, like the Doctor standing up against the Daleks with no guns, no weapons, just a companion and a sonic screwdriver. He glanced at Roman’s hand and felt his ear twitch slightly.  _ Yep. _ He knew absolutely nothing about this game. Patton and he had played speed and garbage and canasta. Virgil liked canasta. Laura slammed her hand on the table and Virgil nearly leapt out of Roman’s embrace at the noise, pulse skyrocketing. It wasn’t even loud. Roman shushed him gently, rubbing his arm before looking at Laura, “ _ Careful _ , Laura.”

Laura winced slightly at the drop in tone of Roman’s voice, “My bad. But, I’m calling your bluff, Princey. I’m all in.”

The table fell deathly silent as they all stared at Laura as if she had lost her head. Diego shook his head, putting his cards down, “That’s too rich for me.”

Roman and Laura locked eyes before Roman spoke, tone even as he slid all of his chips into the middle, “How are you calling my bluff?”

Laura grinned wickedly and gestured at Virgil, who sank back in worry, “The little hybrid’s a dead give away. You don’t got shit. His ear twitched.”

Virgil blinked as Roman grew silent and then… he snorted, “Laura… Laura, Laura,  _ Laura,  _ my dear cousin... Next time you try to get information from  _ my _ hybrid, make sure he knows what’s going on.  _ Royal Flush. _ ”

Laura’s face went pale as the table erupted into chaos, “That’s-... He-... what?”

Virgil quietly piped up, “I don’t know anything about poker.”

Roman chuckled, “Congratulations. You played yourself.”

Laura’s dark eyes went wide and she dropped her head to the table. Virgil laughed, pressing into Roman’s collarbone as the human started stacking his chips back into piles. Virgil put in one headphone as he turned on his music and opened his book. Roman glanced down, “That’s going to give you nightmares, Kitten.”

Virgil shrugged, “That’s okay.”

“... why?”

“Because you’ll be there.”

Roman fell silent before he hugged Virgil tightly, “Yeah. I will be.”

Virgil read as Roman continued playing with his family. It was way past sunset when they finally stopped playing, a few players- Laura, mostly- walked away grumbling. Roman pulled Virgil close and Virgil melted into his embrace, purring softly as he was picked up. 

Virgil nuzzled into Roman’s chest as he laid down. He picked up his head to look at Roman, “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course, Kitten. You can tell me anything.”

“I’m really grateful for you.”

Roman’s eyes widened and he smiled beautifully, “I’m grateful for you too, Virgil… always have been.”

Virgil smiled, laying back down as Roman wrapped his arms around his waist. Virgil pressed back into Roman’s arms, slotting his back against Roman’s chest as he closed his eyes. Roman would keep him safe. “Goodnight, Roman…”

“Buenas noches, todo lo mío…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buenas noches, todo lo mío…- good night, my everything.
> 
> Yes, that poker scene was my favorite to write.
> 
> Good night, my lovelies. Get some sleep. 🥰🥰


	13. To Home, We Go

Roman packed his bags as Virgil slept the last few minutes that he could. The hybrid, being much smarter than his owner, had packed all of his things last night. Roman envied him for a moment before feeling his heart melt as Virgil snuggled further into his jacket that Roman had wrapped around his figure when he had to abandon the warmth of the bed to pack before their flight home. Roman made sure to grab everything, even the little things from the bathroom. He stored his passport and Virgil’s ID in his jacket pocket. Virgil’s phone was resting on the bed next to him, set to ring in a few minutes. Roman glanced at his own phone. Something in his chest went cold when he thought of the message that he got just a few days beforehand.  _ It could just be a wrong number…  _ Roman shook his head to clear his thoughts. Virgil was still right there. He was just sleeping. Nothing could get him while Roman was standing right there. He refused to let that happen to his love. Roman blinked in surprise at himself. He had never referred to Virgil in that way. He was toe-ing his way into accepting the feelings that had just barely crashed around him, brought into the light by one sentence from his mother and Patton knew too. Roman wondered if Patton had seen it building since that first night with Virgil in the apartment. It had been. Roman realized that now. He had been falling since the moment that he saw Virgil behind the dumpster in that stupid alley. He glanced back over at the sleeping hybrid, reaching over to silence the alarm before it could ring. Virgil didn’t deserve that startling wake up to an already stressful day. Roman sat on the edge of the bed, smoothing his hair, “Virgil… Kitten, it’s time to wake up,” Virgil whined softly and Roman chuckled, pressing his lips to the hybrid’s forehead, “Honey… c’mon. You can sleep in the car.”

Virgil blinked awake, shuffling in the bedding, “I don’t want to…”

“I know, Kitten, but we need to go. We don’t want to miss our flight.”

Virgil huffed and sat up, running a hand through his hair, “Okay… okay…”

Roman handed him his license, which Virgil took gratefully, sliding it over his ears. Virgil toddled around the room, gathering the last few small items he left out before getting changed and stuffing his pajamas back into his bag. Roman stored the final items in his backpack before grabbing Virgil’s duffel bag. The hybrid pulled on his backpack and stuffed his phone and headphones into his pocket, holding  _ Jurassic Park _ close to his chest. Despite Roman’s warnings for nightmares, Virgil kept reading it. The book hadn’t interrupted his sleep, no nightmares of dinosaurs eating him had surfaced. Roman could accept small victories. Small victories like Virgil watching documentaries, eating constantly, trailing around the apartment with a book in his hands, sleeping soundly on Roman’s chest, and, Roman’s all-time favorite, purring, like a little engine rolled in Virgil’s chest. Maria and Diego were already in the car as Roman put their bags in the back and wrapped Virgil in his jacket, the hybrid leaning on the door to sleep. Laura had her arms crossed over her chest, “Can’t believe you have to go back already. This place is so boring without you, Ro.”

Roman laughed, hugging Laura tightly, “Sorry, Cousin. I’ve gotta get back. I’ve got class tomorrow and Virgil needs a day to relax-”

“With you.”

Roman rolled his eyes, “Yeah, with me before I go and leave for class. I don’t want him to have  _ another  _ episode. I’ll text you when we land.”

Laura scoffed, shoving Roman away from her, “You better! … take care of yourself… and him.”

Roman grinned, “Duh. I’ll see you for Christmas.”

“Have a safe flight.”

The drive to the airport was nearly silent as Diego drove. Maria smiled softly at Roman before glancing over at Virgil, “Is he asleep?”

Roman looked over, content to watch Virgil’s chest rise and fall with each breath, “Yeah. It looks like it. He’ll sleep better at home.”

Maria chuckled, “You certainly do know him very well.”

Roman shot a look into the rearview mirror, “Kinda have to. He relies on me.”

Maria raised an eyebrow, “Give some thought to what I’ve said, Pequeño. A mother’s intuition is never wrong.”

Roman chuckled to himself, leaning back in his seat. 

Maria hugged them both tightly as Roman’s parents dropped them off at the airport. She pressed her lips to Roman’s cheeks before showering Virgil with affection, who was obviously very happy at the attention. Roman hugged his dad happily, bidding them both farewell until Christmas break. Virgil stayed near as they moved through the airport. The TSA glanced over the ID and the passport before giving the standard look over the pair and waved them through. Virgil took Roman’s hand as soon as they were through searching, “Thank you…”

Roman squeezed his hand, “What for, Virgil?”

“For inviting me… and bringing me.”

Roman smiled softly at the hybrid at his side, “Of course. I couldn’t leave you at home. No way.”

Virgil let out a short purr of happiness before following him the rest of the way to the entrance of the plane. Virgil’s shoes scuffled nervously against the floor of the airport as their departure time crept closer. Roman waited until they were about thirty minutes out before offering a melatonin tablet. Virgil took it with a murmured thanks. Roman brushed the back of his knuckles down Virgil’s cheek, somewhat annoyed at the beanie that was tugged over his ears. He couldn’t give his hybrid the scratches he deserved for being so brave in front of flying again. Virgil was nearly clocked out by the time they were called for boarding. Roman neatly pulled him into his arms, handing the passport, ID, and tickets over to the lady at the counter, who glanced them over before handing them back over. Roman gave a slightly embarrassed smile as the stewardess glanced at Virgil, sleeping against Roman’s shoulder, with a raised eyebrow, “Sorry. He’s a little iffy on flying planes so I gave him some melatonin.”

It was a common trick to help hybrids sleep during times of stress, that’s what Patton had said. The lady shook her head with a brilliant smile, “Oh, it’s quite alright. We don’t get a lot of quiet hybrids like him. He sure seems to be very well behaved.”

“He really is.”

“So long as he’s taken care of, I’m sure. Enjoy your flight!”

“Thanks.”

Roman’s stomach churned slightly as the stewardess’ statement rang through his ears.  _ So long as he’s taken care of, I’m sure. _ Virgil… Virgil would behave even if he wasn’t being taken care of because of… everything else. In his previous life, if Virgil wasn’t being taken care of, it was because he had broken some stupid, useless rule. It was ingrained into the little hybrid’s mind that if he wasn’t being taken care of, it was his fault. No matter the circumstances. Roman hated it. Roman slowly placed Virgil into his seat before placing the backpacks at their feet. Virgil sagged into Roman’s shoulder as soon as he sat down, leaning away from the window. Roman gently did up the buckle around Virgil before doing his own. Virgil didn’t even move as Roman got comfortable. A quiet clearing throat drew his attention away from the hybrid. A little, old lady was leaning across the aisle, “I’m sorry, Little One. I just wanted to ask if that hybrid is yours.”

Roman slowly nodded, “Yeah. He’s mine. … why?”

The little, old lady smiled gently, “I was curious. He reminds me of my Amalia. She’s a black cat too.”

Roman nodded quietly, “Oh… well, this is Virgil. He doesn’t like planes all that much. So-”

“You gave him a melatonin tablet. Such a good owner. I’ve seen people just brush off their little one’s fear. It’s so sad to see.”

Roman agreed wholeheartedly. He didn’t think anything could tear him away from Virgil if he was scared. “It’s very sad to see. Where’s your Amalia?”

“She’s at home. I was just visiting an old friend for a while.”

“And she’s okay at home?”

“Oh, yes. Amalia is very resourceful. I’m not worried about her. I’m Kate Frazier, by the way.”

Roman took her hand in a friendly shake, “Roman. Roman Prince.”

“A good name for a good owner,” Kate winked, Roman had a feeling she was still pretty lively, even for her age.

Kate and Roman ended up swapping stories about their kittens. Roman barely let anything about Virgil’s past slip out. He had found Virgil in an alleyway, lost, that was true… partly. He had taken the hybrid in, true. No one claimed him, partly true. Roman hadn’t put up found posters- No way in hell was he ever doing that- so no one claimed Virgil as their own. Amalia was, apparently, a firecracker with sass built right into her bones. Roman chuckled, absentmindedly wondering. If he had been the person to first adopt Virgil, would the occasional sass that leaked into his personality every so often become a sparkling display of sharp wit and sarcasm? Things would’ve been different. Roman pressed a kiss to Virgil’s forehead as he adjusted himself in his sleep. What-ifs were always dangerous to think about. He had Virgil now. That’s all that mattered. Roman helped Kate stand when the plane landed and she patted his cheek with an endearing smile, “Well, you just keep that little one safe and sound.”

Roman smiled, “Of course and you be safe with your firecracker.”

Kate nodded and bid Roman a kind farewell as he stooped over to pull Virgil into his arms, sound asleep. He moved through the airport easily. Patton and Logan were waiting right at the exit, Patton jumped on the balls of his feet, “Kiddo! You look so good! How was your trip?”

“Good. Really good, Patt.”

Patton grinned, “That’s great, Roman. Is Virgil still asleep?”

“Yeah. He’s gotta be tired. Let’s just get home. I’d rather he wake up in a bed and go right back to sleep than anything else.”

Patton nodded understandingly, “I would like to check Virgil over… if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all. You know that. Can we just-”

“We’ll wait until he wakes up. I’m not going to check anything while he’s asleep.”

Roman nodded gratefully, adjusting his grip on the sleeping hybrid. Logan and Patton shared a glance and Roman felt his stomach drop, “What?”

Patton smiled gently, almost placating, “You’re in love with Virgil.”

_ Oh my God. _

Virgil awoke on a bed. A very large and comfortable bed… a familiar bed. He let out a breath, sinking further into the blankets. He was home. The entire room smelled of Roman. There were no more strange smells or noises, just home. Virgil slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. He could hear Roman, Logan, and Patton in the kitchen. He wrinkled his nose in discomfort as his jeans twisted along with the sheets. He wanted to go back to sleep before his stomach growled. Virgil looked down at his stomach, it had been  _ months _ since Virgil heard his body make that noise. Roman kept him well fed. He slowly climbed out of bed, steadying himself for a moment before moving towards the kitchen. Roman was speaking quietly, “I’m just not sure if it’s a “wrong number” situation. I don’t want anything to happen.”

Logan’s baritone voice replied, “It seems to just be an accident. They haven’t texted you again. If that happens, we can go to the police.” 

Virgil stepped around the doorway, his tail wrapped around himself, “Why would we call the police?”

Roman jumped and turned on his heel to look at the hybrid in his kitchen, “Kitten, I didn’t hear you get up.”

Virgil rubbed at his eyes, “Well… I’m up now…”

Roman smiled softly, “That’s my sassy storm. C’mere, Honey.”

Virgil easily leaned into Roman’s chest and allowed his owner to pull him off the ground in a tight embrace. Patton spoke up quietly, “Kiddo, do you mind if I check on you?” Virgil lifted his head to look over Roman’s shoulder at Patton, “He mentioned that you had a bad day while you were in Flordia.”

Virgil rested his head back onto Roman’s shoulder, pressing into him with a small nod, “Okay.”

Roman rubbed a gentle circle in Virgil’s back, “Do you need anything after the check-up?” Virgil’s stomach chose this moment to growl once more and Roman laughed gently, “Some dinner then. Here, you just go with Patton into the living room and Logan and I will make something fast and easy on your stomach. How does that sound, Pedacito de Cielo?”

Virgil nodded, “... That sounds nice…”

Roman hummed, “I’m glad. Here. Go with Patton.”

Virgil slid away from his owner’s arms, taking Patton’s outstretched hand. He looked over at Roman as he started fishing ingredients out of the fridge, Logan pulling out pots and pans. It was the first time that Roman had allowed Patton to take Virgil out of his line of sight. Virgil trusted Patton. He did but he hated being alone when he didn’t feel safe. Roman helped solidify that nothing would happen to him. Virgil took a deep breath. Roman was just in the next room. He’d come running if Virgil called for him. Virgil knew that. He wasn’t an idiot. Roman had sworn to protect him since the beginning. Virgil closed his eyes as Patton started his checkup, pressing the stethoscope to Virgil’s chest. He still remembered how Roman had looked that first night, peering around the dumpster and immediately trying to seem less scary, less intimidating. His eyes sparkled brilliantly in the streetlamps, like emeralds in firelight, he was handsome even then. Virgil’s cheeks flushed.  _ Oh dear Lord…  _ Patton’s quiet voice interrupted his thoughts, “Virgil, Honey, are you alright? Your cheeks are really pink. You’re not getting a cold, are you? Tell me now so I can get you some medicine.”

Virgil shook his head, staring straight ahead as he tried to shove down the warm feeling that was blossoming in his gut. He didn’t know what exactly it was but he knew that he wouldn’t like it in the long run. Virgil took a deep breath, “I just-... no. I’m fine. I feel fine.”

Patton pressed the stethoscope to Virgil’s back, “Just fine?”

Virgil closed his eyes, “I’m good. Really, Patton.”

Patton sighed softly, “You tell me if you start feeling sick.”

“I will.”

“Okay. Your heart and breathing sound really good. You’re gaining weight at a steady rate. Roman’s been a really good owner.”

Virgil nodded, trying to crush  _ it _ down.  _ It. _ What was it anyway?! Virgil took a deep breath, “Yeah…”

Patton sat down on the coffee table, “Virgil, can I ask you some questions about your episode at Roman’s house?” Virgil nodded and Patton gave a tiny smile, “Okay. Can you explain what brought it on? Do you remember it at all?”

Virgil shrugged slightly, “Kinda… I don’t really know. I was just… watching Roman with his cousins and… it just felt like… I didn’t belong there? Like my brain was…  _ trapped. _ ”

“Trapped? Trapped where?”

Virgil swallowed, “ _ There. _ Where I was before… before Roman… Before the alleyway. I didn’t feel safe. I knew that I was with Roman and he-... he would keep me safe but-”

Virgil blinked at the tears that were suddenly blooming in his eyes. Patton gave a soft smile, “You thought that there was danger nearby and you couldn’t place it? You felt like your abuser was in the room and you couldn’t see him?”

Virgil nodded, “Yeah… and then I couldn’t control my body. I just wanted to run…”

“And Roman helped you out of it?”

“I don’t know how…”

Patton held onto Virgil’s hands, “It’s okay that you don’t know how he did it. All that matters is that he could help. Right?”

Virgil nodded once more, “But what was it?”

Patton let out a breath, “I think it was PTSD.”

Virgil felt his eyebrows crease, he didn’t like the sound of that, “PTSD?”

“It means post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s something that develops after you’ve been through something really bad, like what you went through.”

“Is there something that can stop it?”

Patton shook his head, “Not really. There are medications but you don’t like pills,” Virgil nodded in agreement, “There are therapies and specialists that you could go to.”

Virgil tugged his sleeves over his hands, “I don’t-... I don’t want to go to a stranger…”

Patton squeezed his shoulder, “That’s completely fair. You have to tell Roman when you start to feel that way again. Okay?”

Virgil nodded, “I will…”

Patton smiled softly, “Good. Now, let’s get your happy ears back. Roman won’t be happy if you look upset.”

Patton’s hands were soft as he stroked Virgil’s ears. Virgil pushed into his hands before grinning softly, “Thank you, Patton.”

“Of course, Virgil.”

Roman’s voice called Virgil’s attention to the kitchen doorway, he was leaning against the wooden frame, “Are you okay, Sweetheart?”

Virgil nodded, “I’m okay.”

“What do you think, Patton?”

Patton stood, brushing off his pants, “He’s putting on weight, which is great. His lungs and heart sound healthy and everything is healed up. He’s a perfectly healthy kitty.”

Roman gave a tiny noise of approval, opening his arms as Virgil hurried to him, “That’s so good. And about the-?”

Patton cut Roman off with precision, “Virgil has agreed that he will tell you if he starts to feel an episode coming on. You can get him to a quiet place and get him to come back to you.”

Roman nuzzled into Virgil’s hair, causing the hybrid to purr into his chest. Roman was warm and protective, just like always. Virgil pressed closer to Roman’s chest. “Kitten… are you still hungry?”

Virgil nodded, “What are we having?”

“Rice and egg drop soup. It’ll settle your stomach…”

Virgil purred softly, “That sounds really nice…”

Dinner was almost perfect, Patton made a few jokes that Logan groaned softly at. At the end of the night, Virgil was curled up on Roman’s lap, lounging back in the armchair, watching  _ Star Wars  _ as Logan and Patton shared the couch. Roman’s hand drifted lazily across his back, drawing patterns across his skin. Virgil stretched slightly, purring against Roman’s chest. Roman’s hand slowed for a moment before Virgil settled once more. He nuzzled into the material of Roman’s shirt, closing his eyes. The warm feeling was bubbling back up into Virgil’s chest. He smiled, feeling safe enough just to lay there and sleep. Roman’s hand was barely a weight, just a wonderful pressure. Virgil let out a soft breath, clinging to Roman’s shirt as he slowly drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pedacito de Cielo- Little Piece of Heaven
> 
> Sorry for the day wait. I had a hard day and needed to take a break but I'm back!
> 
> I love you guys!


	14. Too Good To Be True

Virgil awoke to Roman’s hand resting on the small of his back, a calming pressure on his spine. How many times would they end up falling asleep on the plush armchair? Roman constantly said that it was  _ Logan’s  _ armchair. The taller man had boughten it to read in during the movie nights that the roommates had and yet… it seemed like Logan never had the chance to actually use it, Virgil and Roman were always stealing it away from him. Virgil felt a little guilty for stealing the comfort of the armchair so frequently. Roman didn’t even ask any time he sat in the chair. He just sat and pulled Virgil along with him. Virgil settled without a second thought whenever Roman dragged him anywhere. It was part of the trust that they had built up. Virgil followed Roman without a thought as long as Roman didn’t lead him into danger. He wouldn’t. Virgil knew that. Roman’s breath fluttered past Virgil’s ear, which twitched at the air current. It was a rushed breath, a little puff of surprise. Virgil lifted his head to stare at Roman. He was still asleep. His eyebrows creased in his sleep, a tiny pant escaping from between his lips, just a tiny whimper. Virgil’s ears twitched, Roman’s heart was starting to pound in his chest, Virgil could hear it. Virgil lifted a hand, gently cupping Roman’s cheek, “Ro… Roman? Ro, wake up.”

It barely took a tap from the hybrid for Roman to startle awake. He blinked at the ceiling for a moment, taking deep breaths before lowering his gaze to stare at Virgil, curled up on his chest. Roman smiled softly, lifting a hand to gently brush Virgil’s hair out of his face, gazing into the blue and brown mismatched eyes. His voice was rough from sleep, “Kitten… what are you doing awake…?”

“You were having a nightmare…”

Roman blinked, “Oh… I guess I was… I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

Virgil shook his head, pressing his nose into Roman’s neck, “It’s only fair. I always wake you up when I have nightmares. About time you paid me back.”

Roman sighed softly as Virgil nuzzled closer, seemingly in relief. Virgil took a deep breath, purring as Roman’s arms tightened around him. Virgil closed his eyes once more, Roman’s arms wrapped around his waist. 

Roman laid awake as Virgil went limp in his arms once more. He was curled more or less across his entire chest. The hybrid’s nose was pressed into his neck, one of his hands intertwined around the back of Roman’s neck while the other rested, palm up, over his heartbeat. Roman knew that he should go back to sleep. It was too early to be awake. Hell, even Logan was still stretched out across the couch with Patton resting in his arms. Roman should be following their example, sleeping, holding the one that they love close. Virgil… Virgil wasn’t going to get hurt while Roman was holding him, even if he was asleep. The hybrid was right there. There was no danger in sight. The door was locked. They lived on the fifth floor. The windows were locked anyways. There was no danger in their apartment. Virgil let out a slow breath in his sleep and Roman held his breath as the air rolled across his skin. Goosebumps raised along his skin. Roman suppressed a shiver. Virgil always surprised him. It wasn’t good. Roman wasn’t sure how he could reign in the feelings that were starting to boil to the surface. All he knew was that he had to reign them in. Virgil deserved to feel safe curled up in his owner’s arms. Roman’s stomach rolled as Virgil shifted in his sleep, slipping deeper and deeper into the darkness of his unconsciousness. Roman put his hand on the back of Virgil’s head, scratching his hair gently. Roman closed his eyes. It seemed as though Virgil’s subconscious had released the scream-inducing nightmares, allowing his wonderful hybrid to sleep through the night without waking. If only Roman could follow his example.

Roman woke up to empty arms and a cold chest. Roman sat up, looking around the living room. Patton was sleeping on the couch, he could hear Logan in the kitchen, but no mismatched eye, black cat anywhere to be seen. Roman stood, stretching over his head as he hurried to the kitchen, “Logan, where’s Virgil?”

Logan looked up at him from the stove, “He’s taking a bath. He didn’t want to wake you.”

Roman huffed, “That’s annoying. He never wants to wake me up.”

“I was told you had a nightmare.”

“Does he tell you everything?”

Logan shrugged, “I’ve been told that I have a trusting face. Virgil likes sitting in the kitchen with me and just talking. He asks questions about things I’m learning in school and listens very well. I think he just likes the company in the early hours of the morning. He does wake up quite early. Your class schedule has influenced his own sleeping patterns.”

Roman chuckled, “I know. I wish he would sleep more.”

“He sleeps for the recommended eight hours per night and then cat naps through the day. He’s sleeping just as much as any cat hybrid should.”

Roman let out a breath, “You are the best roommate I could ask for.”

“I’m aware. I’m making chorizo.”

Roman blinked, “... Logan, can I marry you?”

Logan laughed, shaking his head, “In a different life, Roman… I would still say no.”

Roman made an offended noise, “I would be a great husband for you, Nerd.”

Logan looked back down at the skillet in front of him, stirring the pork in the pot, “I do believe that you have a hybrid to check on… a hybrid that you have actual feelings for. He’s been in the bath for a while now. Go make sure that he isn’t sleeping in the water and then spend the day watching movies and reading stories. You have your classes tomorrow and Patton and I have a date.”

Roman felt his stomach twist. He hadn’t had Virgil alone for awhile. They could make dinner together, watch as many Disney movies as they could cram into one night, and sleep in an actual bed. Roman nodded, grinning brightly, “Right. Right. Thanks, Logan.”

He moved down the hallway and gently knocked on the bathroom door, “Kitten… Did you fall asleep in the bathtub?”

The door opened and Roman jumped back in surprise. Virgil had Roman’s red hoodie on, the seam reaching the middle of his thighs. It was way too big on his thin, delicate figure. His hair was damp, hanging down in front of his eyes. Virgil blinked up at him, “... Ro… have I ever fallen asleep in the tub before?”

Roman shrugged honestly, “I don’t know, Virgil. I was just making sure that you were alright.”

Virgil rubbed at the back of his head with a towel, “I’m fine. I just… wanted to sit in the water. It felt nice.”

Roman chuckled and swooped down, scooping Virgil into his arms, “Let me dry your hair, Kitten.”

Virgil squeaked in surprise before nuzzling into Roman’s collarbone, “Okay… That sounds nice.”

Roman kissed Virgil’s forehead, “Of course, it does. It means more cuddling time for you.”

Virgil purred happily and Roman gently set him on the bed, sitting behind him. Roman took the towel from the hybrid’s hands and gently started drying the black hair. Virgil’s purring was loud and steady and filled Roman’s chest with warmth. Roman was careful around his ears, taking a soft corner of the towel and ran it over the soft fur. Virgil leaned into Roman’s hands, “Have I ever told you that you’re a great owner, Roman…?”

Roman chuckled, gently massaging the muscles at the base of the pointed ears, “Yes, you have but,” Roman pressed his lips to Virgil’s hair, “it really never hurts to hear, Kitten.”

Virgil’s purring got a bit louder as Roman continued drying his hair and fur. His tail curled around his body. Roman smiled brightly as he ruffled Virgil’s damp hair until a quiet whine, “ _ Roman…!” _

Roman laughed, letting the towel fall on top of Virgil’s hair, “I’m sorry, Virgil.”

Virgil tugged off the towel as he spun in bed and Roman shoved down another fit of laughter. Virgil’s hair was sticking up almost as much as his ears were, a few strands curling over his face, “Why would you do that?”

Roman chuckled, “Oh, Honey, I just wanted to see your hair like that.”

Virgil raised an eyebrow and turned his head to look in Roman’s floor-length mirror. Roman snorted as Virgil’s eyes grew wide and he turned back to his owner, “How dare you do this to me?”

Roman laughed loudly until Virgil shoved him back onto the bed, his legs over Roman’s waist, hitting him with a pillow. Roman lifted his hands to protect his face, “I’m sorry, Kitten! I’m so sorry! I’ll fix it! I promise.”

Virgil stopped his assault and raised an eyebrow, “You promise?”

Roman took a deep breath, trying to fill his lungs fully before speaking, “Of course, Virgil. Can you let me sit up?”

Virgil cocked his head to the side in, what Roman can only assume was, fake thought and hummed, “... Sit up…?”

“Yeah, Kitten. C’mon.”

Virgil pursed his lips and Roman’s stomach flipped,  _ God, you’re beautiful _ , “No.”

Roman froze, quirking up an eyebrow, “I’m… I’m sorry?”

Virgil smiled brightly, revealing slightly pointed canines, “You heard me.”

Roman blinked, “I did but could you like… repeat it?”

“ _ No. _ ”

“I’m not allowed to sit up?”

Virgil shook his head, hair falling over his eyes once more. Roman lifted a hand on instinct to brush it away from his face. Virgil grinned once more, beautiful and confident, leaning into Roman’s hand. Virgil’s eyes fixated on Roman’s other hand and he slowly reached out, intertwining their hands. Roman watched as Virgil’s pupils widened slightly as their fingers interlaced. It was a new reaction. It wasn’t anything that Roman had seen yet as Virgil picked up their hands. The engine in his chest rolled as Virgil examined their interlocked fingers, picking at Roman’s hand for a moment before putting his forehead against Roman’s skin, eyes closing. Roman stared at the hybrid as Virgil rubbed against the back of his hand. Virgil nuzzled right up into Roman’s chest and Roman moved the hand from his hybrid’s cheek to the small of his back. This little kitten was going to be the death of Roman. He was almost absolutely sure. 

Virgil ate the chorizo that Logan had made like he hadn’t seen a full plate of food in three weeks. Roman watched as Virgil finished his breakfast and his eyes went wide for a moment and he scrambled out of the kitchen. Roman went to go after him, terrified that something had frightened Virgil when there was a light thump in the living room and Virgil tore back into the kitchen. Roman blinked, “... Virgil?”

Virgil was practically vibrating with energy before he jumped forward, wrapping his arms around Roman’s midriff, nuzzling into his chest, rubbing against him. Roman stared down at him before Virgil looked up at him, different colored eyes glinting in the light of the kitchen, pupils wide, “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

Virgil nodded, “Yeah! I’m always okay if you’re here.”

Roman smiled gently, going to pet Virgil’s ears. Virgil ducked away from his hand, Roman froze, ready to apologize and comfort the terrified creature, but Virgil stared at his hand for a moment before pressing back into it. Roman blinked and slowly scratched behind Virgil’s ear, watching as his eyes slid closed. Roman pressed his forehead to Virgil’s, “I will always be here to protect you.”

Virgil was sleeping, his head in Roman’s lap, when he called Patton, waiting for the vet to answer,  _ “This is Patton!” _

Roman rubbed Virgil’s back, “It’s Roman, Patton.”

_ “Oh! Hey! What’s going on? You know-” _

“You’re on a date with Lo. I’m sorry but Virgil-”

_ “Is everything okay? Did he get hurt?” _

“No!” Roman cringed as Virgil shifted in his sleep and lowered his voice, “No. He’s not hurt. It’s just-... something weird happened this morning. He started to just… run around. He was practically vibrating.”

Patton fell silent before,  _ “Were his pupils wide?” _

“... Yeah.”

_ “...”  _ Patton started to laugh,  _ “Oh, Roman! Everything’s just fine!” _

Roman stopped, a hand resting in the middle of Virgil’s back, “What was it then?”

Patton took a deep breath,  _ “It’s completely natural. Virgil just had a case of the zoomies.” _

Roman blinked and repeated back incredulously, “The  _ zoomies _ ?”

_ “Yep.” _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Virgil hated that Roman had to leave after they only had one day together. One day of perfect relaxation of movies and stories and taking naps together. It was quiet in the morning as Roman got up, silencing his phone alarm. Virgil watched from a mound of blankets as he started getting dressed. Roman turned and smiled at the hybrid as he lifted his head, “Do you really have to go…?”

Roman’s smile grew sad, “Oh, Kitten. I really wish I didn’t but I do.”

Virgil whined softly into the blankets as Roman sat on the edge of the bed, an open palm stretched towards him. Virgil looked at his owner’s hand and slowly reached out, taking Roman’s hand. It was soft and warm, just like always. A purr built up in his chest. That warm feeling was beginning to bubble up. Virgil was slowly beginning to realize what it was… He closed his eyes to try and focus on the moment. Roman was still with him. He hadn’t left his kitten quite yet… Virgil opened his eyes to look at the human. That was a little strange. He shouldn’t refer to himself as “Roman’s Kitten”.  _ You are…  _ Virgil smiled softly as Roman slowly leaned down and pressed their foreheads together. The warmth was back altogether. Virgil closed his eyes again, “I’ll miss you, Ro…”

“I’ll be right back, Kitten. You just stay inside and safe. Okay?”

Virgil nodded, “And sleep?”

Virgil could hear the grin in Roman’s voice, “Yes, Kitten, and sleep. Sleep is very important but so is eating. Don’t skip lunch. I’ll be home before you know it.”

_ Home before I know it, huh? _ Well, it was after Virgil knew it and Roman still wasn’t home. Virgil huffed at himself, laying back in the armchair. He was getting spoiled at the attention that Roman had given him. He scowled slightly at the guilt that twisted in his gut with the thought. Virgil shook his head to dismiss the thoughts that were creeping out of the darkness. He  _ deserved  _ to be spoiled. That’s what Logan, Patton,  _ and  _ Roman all said. He didn’t have any harsh consequences for breaking rules. Something in the back of his mind wondered if there were even rules in the apartment. …  _ yeah.  _ There were a few.

_ Get Roman if I need anything. _

_ Call Roman if I’m hurt.  _

_ Don’t open the door for strangers. _

Virgil blinked. _Three? Three rules…?_ They weren’t even rules. They were instincts in Virgil’s mind at this point. Roman could help if anything went wrong and if there was a knock at the door, Virgil went dead silent. He hated strangers. Especially strangers in his home. _Home._ Home was such a nice word that he had forgotten existed until he was given this place. A warm apartment with a soft bed with plenty of pillows, a family that included a tall, not-so-intimidating man and his boyfriend and Virgil’s owner that he loved- _… what?_ _Loved?_ Virgil blinked at the book in front of him. A single word, _love_, only four letters, drew a beautiful picture of Roman in his mind and Virgil felt his heart ease in his chest. _Oh… _Virgil pressed his smile into his hand, feeling like his chest was filled with air. Weightless. His phone vibrated and his stomach dropped, ice filling his body.

It was a picture… of Roman and him curled up in the armchair, Roman’s hand was resting on his back.

** _Message Received from Unknown_ **

** ** _ There are rules, Virgil. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love you guys.


	15. Memories Don’t Fade

Roman sagged into the table at lunch, putting his head down on the table. Remus put a hand on his shoulder, “Are you okay, RoRo?”

Roman lifted his head, “I didn’t want to leave Virgil this morning. You should’ve seen him, Remus. He was all wrapped up in my blankets and he just wanted me to  _ stay. _ ”

Dolos wrinkled his nose in distaste, “Disgusting.”

Remus scoffed, gently hitting his boyfriend’s arm, “Oh please! You were the same way this morning.”

Dolos blinked, “I was  _ cold! _ ”

“You’re always cold, Snakey.”

Roman chuckled softly, leaning back in his seat, “Do you run cold, Dolos?”

Dolos’ cheeks flushed, growing pink as Remus smiled, kissing his boyfriend’s cheek, “He does. He’s my little cuddler.”

Roman’s smile grew at the soft display of affection between the two. Virgil had looked so soft and warm, wrapped in Roman’s blankets and just wanting his hand, any sort of warmth from his owner. Roman had felt his heart betray him greatly. He had wanted to stay so badly, wanted to wrap Virgil up in his arms and go right back to sleep with his kitten. Roman was always a protective person in relationships but Virgil triggered the protection in Roman’s chest a ridiculous amount. He would fight off an army just to keep Virgil in his arms. Roman’s cheeks flushed. They weren’t in a relationship. He sighed. In a way, they were but it wasn’t a  _ romantic _ relationship. It was a relationship built on mutual trust and respect. Roman needed Virgil as much as Virgil needed Roman.  _ An equal exchange of power, _ a voice whispered in the back of his mind. Roman smiled to himself, looking down at his hands. If the day would only move faster. Virgil would want to be held and Roman could never say no to those mismatched eyes. He had felt bad leaving Virgil alone at home. If Roman could, he would’ve brought the hybrid with him. His phone vibrated against the table. He glanced at the screen for a second before answering the call immediately, “Kitten? Are you alright?”

Virgil’s voice shook,  _ “N-no-! No. No. Ro-” _

Roman shushed him as gently as possible, tossing his bag over his shoulder, “Honey, I’m right here. Talk to me.”

_ “I-... I can’t…!” _

“Okay. It’s okay,” Roman glanced over at Remus and Dolos, both of them were staring at him, “Dolos, do you have class anytime soon?”

Dolos shook his head, fishing out his keys, “I’ll give you a ride. C’mon. Keep your cat on the line.”

Roman let out a breath, “Thank you… Virgil, Sweetheart, I’m on my way. Okay? You just-... Just breathe. Are you safe? You’re in the apartment?”

Roman followed Dolos, practically sprinting to the car, Remus ran ahead with the keys. Virgil sounded like he was close to sinking back into his mind, just like Thanksgiving, Roman hated that,  _ “I-... I’m in the apartment…” _

“That’s good. That means you’re safe. Right?”

_ “Y-yeah… yes.” _

“You’re doing so good, Kitten. Can you do something for me? Can you name five things that you can hear? Just five things.”

The line went quiet before Virgil’s voice broke,  _ “Roman-” _

Roman’s heart pounded in his ears, “I know. I know that you’re scared but you can do this. Five things you can hear.”

_ “... I-... I can… I can hear the fridge humming… birds… um… you… your breathing… are you running…?” _

“Keep going, Gatito. Don’t worry about me.”

_ “S-Sorry. I can hear your neighbors… they’re loud…” _

Roman choked on a laugh, “Yeah. They are. Four things that you can see.”

Virgil’s voice was getting a bit steadier,  _ “The couch, the coffee table… the television set… and… I can see… your-... your fairytale book…” _

“Good. Good job, Virgil. Three things you can touch.”

Virgil took a deep breath,  _ “The wall… the hoodie… and my license…” _

“Two things that you can taste.”

_ “Mint and milk…” _

“I’m almost home. Okay? You’re doing so good. One thing you can smell, Virgil.”

_ “... cinnamon… I can smell cinnamon…” _

Roman’s heart twisted. Of course. Of course, Virgil would use that smell as a grounding point. Roman’s own voice grew rough, “That’s-... that’s so good, Mi cielito… Are you wearing one of my hoodies?”

_ “... yes… I’m sorry…” _

“No. No. Don’t apologize. You are allowed to wear my hoodie. It’s comfortable and it’s keeping you warm… right?”

_ “Yeah…” _

“Then it’s doing its job. I can’t keep you warm until I get home so my hoodie is doing my job.”

_ “Are you almost home…?” _

Dolos parked in front of the apartment building and Roman threw him a thanks as he threw himself out of the car, “Yeah. I’m just outside. Remus! What’re you doing?!”

Remus stared at him as Dolos got out of the car, “I want to make sure that Virgil’s okay.”

Roman took a deep breath, “Fine. But you can’t come in until  _ I  _ say you can. Okay?”

Remus nodded and followed Roman inside the building. Roman stuffed his phone in his pocket as he got to the door of the apartment, gently opening it as Remus froze a few feet down the hall, yanking Dolos to a stop beside him. Roman slowly entered the small living space, dropping his backpack to the ground, “Virgil… Honey… where are you, mi vida…?”

Roman slowly knelt next to the first hiding place that Virgil found in the apartment, between the couch and the wall. His hunch had been correct. Virgil had shoved himself into the corner, covering himself with Roman’s bright red hoodie. His thin shoulders were shaking, face buried into his knees. Roman could see how white his knuckles were around his phone, tail tucked to him as close as it could. Roman gently shushed the cries and smiled as Virgil looked up at him, eyes wide, “... Roman…”

“Hey Kitten… it’s me…”

“You-... You’re home…?”

“Of course…”

Virgil needed no prompting to slowly pull away from the corner of safety and press himself into Roman’s chest. He was shaking and Roman immediately wrapped his arms around him, leaning against the wall. Virgil shook apart into sobs as soon as Roman put his arms around him. Roman gently pet his hair, “Honey… what happened?”

Virgil’s breath hitched and he sobbed harder. It sounded like he was trying not to cry, like he was afraid to make any noise. His phone was still clasped in his first. Roman swallowed, “Virgil, was it something on your phone…?”

Virgil’s cries grew quiet for a moment and he locked up, froze in Roman’s embrace, as he stared at the phone before-  ** _THUNK_ ** . Roman jerked to try and stop the flinging of the phone away from them. It spun from the corner of the couch and he flinched slightly as it fell screen down on the carpet. Virgil pressed back into Roman’s chest, shivering.  _ That answers that question.  _ “Honey… you need to tell me what happened… please.”

Virgil’s voice was weak, Roman had thought that they had steadied it but…  _ the phone service must’ve covered it up, _ “He-... he found me… I- I knew he would… I should’ve-... I should’ve left…! I shouldn’t be here…!”

Roman hushed the panic that was building up in Virgil’s voice, pressing the hybrid close to his chest, “He can’t get to you. I won’t let him. I’d rather be buried alive than lose you,” Virgil’s shoulders shook, “I promise, Virgil. I promise that he won’t get to you.”

Virgil’s shaking slowed as he pressed impossibly closer to Roman’s chest. Roman let out a breath, gently smoothing his hair. He glanced up and sighed at the sight of Remus sticking his head into the apartment, “Is he okay…?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Virgil refused to leave Roman’s side. He also refused to pick up his phone from the ground. It had already brought enough pain back into his mind. His back ached with phantom pains of scars long since healed. Roman stared at the text message as he finally retrieved the phone from the ground. Virgil’s chest loosened when he saw the screen wasn’t cracked but the message sent a spike of pain through his body. He was laying in bed, Roman had given him a small painkiller and gently tucked him into the blankets. Now, Roman had Virgil wrapped into his arms, surrounded by blankets. The smell of cinnamon was on all sides. Virgil took a deep breath, quietly apologizing for what felt like the hundredth time, “I-... I’m sorry…”

Roman shushed him gently, pressing a kiss to his hair, “Don’t apologize… you didn’t do anything wrong. You were scared, Virgil. It’s okay.”

Roman’s hand was warm as he gently rubbed Virgil’s side. Virgil knew that his owner was just trying to soothe the fear and pain that danced across his nerve endings like they were on fire. Virgil was too tense to relax into the warmth that rolled from Roman’s body. The door was locked, the front and Roman’s bedroom. The windows were all shut and locked, curtains drawn tightly. All of this was done as soon as Virgil flinched away from an open door and a visible window. Logan had helped as soon as he got home. The cup of tea that he had made Virgil sat, untouched, on the side table. He stared at the steam that curled out of it until it faded away into the air. Virgil closed his eyes as Roman’s hand drifted across his side. He thought he was too scared to sleep… turns out, Roman had different plans for his kitten. His hand slowed, becoming a weight on Virgil’s side as he slowly tugged the hybrid closer to him, slotting Virgil’s back against his chest. Virgil could feel his lips pressed against the back of his head. Darkness was slowly reaching out to embrace him. Virgil gladly met it.

Virgil woke up to quiet voices at the door and no weight on his side. He lifted his head, Roman was standing at the doorway, talking as quietly as he could to Patton and Logan. Virgil’s ears twitched slightly, picking up Roman’s voice easily, “... just sleeping…”

Patton nodded, “I looked at the text… have you contacted the police?”

“Yes. They say that there’s nothing they can do. Like Virgil doesn’t have scars or PTSD. They can’t track the phone number because they don’t have a reason to. They’re saying it’s a prank.  _ Like anybody who knows Virgil would  _ ** _do this!”_ **

Patton shushed Roman’s angry rant, “You’re going to wake him up… I know you’re angry, we all are, but Virgil needs rest and you need to go back to him. Hold him, Roman. Keep him warm and safe…”

Virgil laid his head back into the pillows, closing his eyes once more. Virgil did just want Roman’s arms wrapped around him once more. Pain throbbed in Virgil’s back. It was another phantom pain, just like the ice cold hands that Virgil felt on his legs at some point, on his back, on his sides, pain flaring after every contact. Warmth chased away those phantom feelings. Roman’s hands brushed away the nightmares. Virgil let out a soft breath, pushing into Roman’s embrace. Roman’s voice was quiet in his ear, “Virgil… are you awake…?”

Virgil nodded, murmuring right back, “... Yeah…”

Roman sighed, his arms tightening around Virgil’s waist, “Kitten… please, go back to sleep…”

Virgil shook his head, even as he felt unconsciousness call for him, “... no… no… I don’t-... I don’t want to…”

“Shh…” Roman pressed his lips to the tip of one of Virgil’s ears, sensitive and soft, “Please, mi pequeña tormenta… Por favor, sólo duerme, mi alma… you need to sleep… I know you’re scared… but I promise nothing will get you while I’m here. I’ve got you… I’ve got you.”

Virgil felt his shoulders slowly release as he melted into the warmth that Roman radiated. He smelt like cinnamon… as long as Roman was in the apartment, Virgil was safe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman thumbed at the rim of his coffee mug. The cold of the December air was seeping through the open window. Logan was making breakfast at the stove. Patton had left for work just a few minutes beforehand. Roman looked up at his roommate, “What am I supposed to do…? I can’t leave the apartment. Virgil-... he’s too fragile… if I leave, he’ll break, Logan.”

Logan nodded, “It’s the weight of being an owner. He’s imprinted on you and you love him, Roman. So… stay. Stay nearby. Help him feel safe.”

“How-?”

“ _ You _ help him feel safe. He knows that if you’re nearby, nothing can happen to him. You wouldn’t let it happen.”

Roman let out a breath, “Right. Of course. I’m going to go get him up… he needs to eat something before he wastes away.”

Logan nodded, “I’ll make him some tea.”

Roman put a hand on Logan’s shoulder as he walked past, moving towards his room. Virgil had slept away yesterday, barely even moving through the night. His kitten had gone completely limp in his arms, drowsy from pain medicine for phantom pains and crying his heart out. Just feelings that helplessness in Roman’s arms… he could never allow anything to happen while Virgil was caught unaware, sleeping and weak. Roman opened his bedroom door, ready to raise Virgil from his sleep-... “Virgil?”

The bed was empty.

“ _ Virgil?! _ ”

The window was open.

_ “Virgil!” _

There was red on the white bed sheets.

** _“VIRGIL!”_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mi pequeña tormenta… Por favor, sólo duerme, mi alma... -My little storm... please, just sleep, my soul
> 
> (Mi alma is a pet name.)
> 
> Yooooooo... soooooo. I’m sorry but writer’s block hit me like a train and well... here we are.
> 
> Love you guys.


	16. Don’t They?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay kiddos! TW for abuse in the first part of Virgil’s point of view. Please skip it if you’re sensitive to that stuff. It’s not that bad but I want you lovelies to stay safe!!

**MISSING HYBRID: PET SNATCHER ON THE PROWL OR JUST A RUNAWAY?**

On December 11th, tragedy struck a small, college apartment. Virgil Prince, a black cat hybrid, was stolen from his owner’s bedroom. College student, Roman Prince, was seen at the Southern police station, asking for help before being laughed out of the station. Virgil is a cat hybrid, who has been living with the college student and his roommate since being taken off the streets. A police officer has given the statement that the station will be of no help to the missing hybrid, saying, “Virgil Prince was a runaway. Hybrid’s who have run away, often do it again. It’s a simple matter of Mr. Prince needing to accept the fact that the hybrid was a flight risk from the beginning-“

“You have to stop reading that.”

Roman’s gaze snapped to Dolos from the newspaper, not even the first page. He was exhausted and angry. He felt his stomach roll at the guilt as he growled, “What else am I supposed to do, huh?”

“I was just-”

“Do I _sit here?!_ _Sit here and do _**_nothing_**_ while some _**_fucker has Virgil?! _**WHAT THE **_FUCK_** AM I SUPPOSED TO DO, DOLOS?!”

Dolos pulled away slightly as Roman’s hands slammed on the top of the table. A heavy hand landed on Roman’s shoulder, easing him back into his chair, “Calm down, Roman.”

Logan’s presence cleared the air around Roman, allowing him to breathe. His stomach clenched and he put his head in his hands, “I’m sorry, Dee. I didn’t-... I just-”

Dolos’ voice was calm, “It’s okay. I understand… You just want to find Virgil.”

Roman felt a sob building in his throat, swallowing past the lump, “I’ve-... I’ve done  _ everything… _ I just-... I just want him  _ back _ …”

Patton’s hand was warm as he caressed Roman’s back, “Honey, I know.  _ We _ know. We want him back just as much as you…”

Roman tried to take a breath, choking on the lump in his throat, “... I can’t sleep without him…”

“I know, Kiddo… all we can do is keep looking…”

Virgil… Virgil liked sleeping… it was better than the darkness and pain that the waking world held for him. In his dreams, he was laying in a soft bed, surrounded by blankets and warm arms. He smiled as a pair of lips brush against his ear, a quiet voice humming in his ear. Virgil picked up his head, looking over at Rom-... Roman…? It was Roman… Virgil had to remind himself what Roman looked like. Dark brown hair and emerald green eyes. His smile was so… bright… it felt like it would blind Virgil… 

Gentle hands.

Gentle voice.

_ “Kitten… you need to-” _

** _“Wake up.”_ **

Cold water crashed over Virgil’s body, soaking him to the bone. He was already cold, stripped of his hoodie and his shirt. The water made it worse. He shook, keeping his eyes on the ground as footsteps echoed around him. His legs ached. A scream tore its way out of Virgil’s throat as  _ he _ stepped and  ** _pressed _ ** on Virgil’s right leg, pain throbbing up his entire body. A kind voice in his head spoke quietly about the possibility of broken bones and how best to treat them. “Can you hear me now, Virgil?”

Virgil nodded and cried as there was more pressure, “ **yes. ** Yes, sir.”

There was a quiet jingle as a pretty silver charm hung in front of his gaze, “What is this?”

The silver caught the light, spinning the reflection into Virgil’s eyes. It was just a memory of a weight on his chest, clasping that metal in his hand as he slept on Roman’s lap. …  _ Roman…  _

_ “Honey, you don’t have to wear that all the time.” _

_ “I know… I want to…” Virgil tacked on, “if that’s okay” on instinct. _

_ Roman laughed, gently brushing Virgil’s hair out of his face, “Of course… that’s perfectly okay with me!” _

There was a hand on his ear, pulling at the sensitive muscles, Virgil whimpered. “What  _ is  _ ** _it?”_ **

“A license…! It’s a license…”

“Is it _ yours? _ ”

_ Virgil Prince _

“... it-... it was... It was mine.”

** _“Oh?_ ** Then I’m guessing you want it back? Do you want it back, Virgil?”

Virgil could see the engravings.

_ Virgil Prince _

_ 100 W 31st St, New York, NY 10001 _

_ 646-232-9225 _

_ “Figured we’d make it official…” _

Virgil sobbed, “ _ yes. _ I want it back…! Please…!”

He made the mistake of reaching for the necklace, reaching for the last semblance of home, of Roman, of  _ love _ and warmth. A hand, cold and unforgiving, wrapped around his wrist and tightened. Virgil felt the delicate bones press together as Warren twisted it away from the tiny sliver of hope, “Who is he, anyway? This  _ Prince _ ? What’s he like?”

“... H-His name is Roman…”

“What else?”

The grip on his ear tightened and Virgil tried to pull away, only to cry out sharply, “I LOVE HIM!” It was deadly silent in the room as Virgil choked on a sob, “I-... I love him…”

The hands disappeared for a moment before, “What was his name?”

“...”  _ Don’t answer that. _

“ _ Virgil.  _ What was his name?”

Virgil dropped his gaze to the floor, “R-Roman… Roman Prince.”

Pain exploded on his side. Virgil tasted copper as he dropped onto the ground, limp and helpless. Virgil closed his eyes, placing his head onto the ground.  _ Roman… Roman please… help… _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman stared at the entrance to his apartment building. Dolos and Remus had driven him around the city, scouring every inch they could get to for the missing hybrid. His missing kitten, the missing part of his heart. Roman hadn’t realized how much of his life had changed since Virgil showed up. The first morning that Roman woke up in his bed after he went missing, Roman made a cup of tea along with his coffee. The black mug that had a pair of cat ears and whiskers sat on the counter for a moment. Roman stared at it as the drink grew cold. There wasn’t… there wasn’t a hybrid to take the mug and retreat to the table or thank Roman as pale hands took it to drink on the couch. There was nothing. Roman wanted to break the mug, wanted to watch it shatter into a million pieces. He didn’t. He broke his own mug, plain white with a red crown. Virgil didn’t use Roman’s mug. It wouldn’t matter if it got broken… Logan found his roommate sitting in the middle of a mess of ceramic pieces. 

Roman leaned back in his seat. A few reporters still wanted a story and they were camping out front of the apartment building. Roman didn’t understand why… to them, Virgil was just a missing pet. Dolos wrinkled his nose, voice curling in disgust, “These fucking vultures. What do they want?”

Roman shrugged, “Another story…? I don’t know…”

Remus hummed, “... Dolos and I could have sex on the car. That’d get rid of them- OW! DeeDee…”

Roman glanced over at the front seat. Remus was rubbing his arm with a small pout. Dolos gave his boyfriend a stern look before Roman patted his shoulder, “I appreciate the sentiment, Remus… I’ll see you guys later…”

“We can come in with you.”

“No. No. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I can wave them off.”

Roman got out of the car, closing the door to allow Remus and Dolos to drive off. The reporters turned, “Mr. Prince! Mr. Prince, have you received any news from the police?”

Roman pushed past them and into the building without a sideways glance. They just wanted to sell more papers. They didn’t care that Virgil was missing, stolen from Roman’s bed. Roman felt sick. He had  _ promised. _ He promised Virgil that nothing would be able to hurt him, that his old owner would never touch a hair on his head. Not while Roman was around. Where was Roman when Virgil needed him? 

In the kitchen.

Drinking fucking coffee.

While Virgil probably cried out for him, got hurt, and then dragged out of the window, Roman was drinking coffee. His stomach rolled but Roman sat on the armchair. It was empty anyway. No appetite. One of Virgil’s hoodies, the one that Roman took to the police, praying for help, was laying on the armrest. Roman twisted the cloth in his hand, feeling the helplessness crawl back into his throat. He hated that feeling… he hated that he was crying into Virgil’s jacket, cold and empty, even more. 

_ “Can we read a fairy tale before bed tonight?” _

_ “Of course, Kitten. What fairy tale do you want to read?” _

_ “... Mmh… I don’t know. What’s your favorite?” _

_ “I stick with the classics. Have you ever read Puss in Boots?” _

_ Virgil blinked up at him, “No but it sounds weird.” _

_ Roman laughed, easily scooping Virgil into his arms, “It is very weird but you’ll like it. Trust me.” _

_ “Okay…!” _

Roman choked on a sob. Virgil had ended up liking Puss in Boots… his favorite had shifted from one story to another before settling on Rapunzel. 

_ “But why Rapunzel?” _

_ Virgil shrugged, “I don’t like being trapped either.” _

_ “... okay? I know that. C’mon, Kitten-” _

_ Virgil wrapped his arms around Roman’s neck, allowing his owner to sweep him off his feet, “We both have princes that saved us.” _

Roman’s chest heaved as too many memories flooded the air around him. He couldn’t breathe.

Everything was too much and not enough at the same time.

If Virgil was home, if Virgil was safe in Roman’s arms, he’d be pressed against Roman’s chest, his little engine rolling like his owner had sculpted the entire world. Or maybe he would be sleeping.  _ Or watching a documentary… like the little nerd he is… _ Roman’s mind spun with too many possibilities. Virgil could be sipping hot tea while Roman made dinner or he could be watching Doctor Who or… or… or  _ anything. _ He’d be safe… and with Roman! The weight was crushing his shoulders as he sobbed heavily into the jacket.  _ I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m  _ ** _sorry! I’m so sorry!_ **

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Virgil could remember waking up to a hand over his mouth, feeling a cold, flat pressure on his temple. It was the first time in his life with Roman that he woke up in fear. It was a whispered threat, Roman’s life hanging by a thread, that kept him quiet. Sharp pain shot through his side. He could smell the strange copper tang of blood in the room. He hadn’t done anything wrong but the pain caused his muscles to seize up and he was ripped away from the warmth and protection of Roman’s apartment. 

Virgil didn’t lift his head as the door closed. Pain throbbed everywhere. He couldn’t distinguish one pain from another. His entire body throbbed. He could taste blood. Virgil took a shuddering breath, lifting his head. His left ear was limp against his head. Something had happened to it. Virgil wasn’t sure what at this point, it just hurt. His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness surrounding him. There was a slight shimmer in the darkness. Virgil pushed, muffling his cries with his hand, onto his elbow. His legs couldn’t hold his weight. He knew that. The shimmer was his license. The silver charm catching the small amount of light that entered the room from the window, shut securely. Virgil reached for the charm, the last memory of safety, of just Roman-  _ clink. _ Virgil couldn’t move any farther. His fingertips barely unable to reach the charm. Virgil sobbed, looking over his shoulder. There was a thick chain wrapped around his ankle, the metal biting into his skin.  _ No. No. Nonono. Please…!  _ ** _“Please…! Please! Roman!”_ **

Virgil’s head dropped to the ground, arm stretched to try and grab the silver necklace.  _ “Virgil, Kitten, you are not nor will you  _ ever _ be a burden to me.” _

_ “You’re doing so good, Kitten.” _

_ “I missed you too, Gatito.” _

_ “I was just making sure you were alright.” _

_ “My kitten.” _

_ “I’ll always be here to protect you.” _

Virgil’s shoulders shook as another sob rocked his frame. “...  _ Roman _ …  _ please…” _

The silver charm glinted in the sunlight.

_ Virgil Prince _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. Here’s that chapter... yeesh. My bad.


	17. Promises Are Made To Be Broken

Roman stared at the ceiling. His chest still felt like it was being crushed. He could hear Logan and Patton in the hallway. They were talking quietly, trying not to wake Roman up. Logan’s voice was low, “We’ve done everything that we can, Patton.”

“There has to be  _ something! _ Roman can’t keep going on like this forever. He searches the city all day, barely eats, barely sleeps. I’m a  _ vet  _ and I recognize how harmful this behavior is.”

Logan sighed, “Can you think of anybody in your line of work that could help? The police don’t-”

Roman pushed up from bed, opening the door, cutting off his roommate effectively, “The police  _ won’t  _ do anything. It’s not  _ can’t  _ or  _ don’t _ . It’s  ** _won’t._ ** ”

Patton stared at him before, “Roman, do you remember anything that might help us find Virgil?”

Roman wanted to rip his hair out. He had told Patton and Logan everything already. Every piece of dialogue that Virgil and he had traded was playing on a loop in Roman’s mind on a repeat. There was nothing new- Roman blinked. How had he been so  ** _stupid?!_ ** “Warren.”

Patton glanced at Logan, “Roman…?”

Roman ripped a hand through his hair, “Warren Rosen. That-” Rage curled tight in his stomach, “That was the bastard that had Virgil before me. His original owner.”

Patton stared at him before fishing out his phone, “I’m gonna call some friends. You two go back down to the police station. Try to get some information on Warren Rosen,” He glanced up at Roman, “Good job. We’re one step closer. We  _ will  _ find him, Roman. I swear.”

Virgil felt another shiver wrack his body. He was sick. A heavy weight swirled in his chest and his mind was fuzzy. The world blended together around him. Warren has kicked his license closer to his body on accident. Virgil had his entire body curled around the tiny piece of metal.  _ Virgil Prince. Virgil Prince. Virgil. Prince. That is my name… my name is Virgil Prince and my owner…  _ Virgil flinched before his name even passed through the hybrid’s fragile mind. He gritted his teeth, trying not to cry.  _ My owner is… R-...  _ “my owner is  _ Roman Prince.” _

The metal around his ankle clinked as he shifted. Virgil froze as the noise echoed around him. Warren had beat the sense of safety that Roman’s name brought into Virgil’s soul. His back pulsed with every heartbeat. It was hard to breathe, broken ribs most likely. His right leg throbbed and ached. It was broken too. He’d never be able to stand on it if he didn’t get out of here. The world was too fuzzy, too dark, and too cold for him to even think about trying to uncurl his body. The edges of the license bit into the skin of his palm as he clenched his fist around it. It didn’t matter that the metal was starting to break the skin. Everything hurt anyway. What was a little added on top…? The door of the dark room opened, a sliver of light falling on top of Virgil. He didn’t lift his head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman wanted to break something, “No, Mamá… I haven’t found him…”

Maria’s voice broke over the phone’s speaker,  _ “Pequeño, I’m so sorry…” _

Roman slammed the elevator button for his floor, it was starting to snow.  _ Virgil would love it…  _ his chest twisted painfully, “I-... I’m sorry that I can’t make it home for Christmas, Mamá.”

_ “No. You are not allowed to apologize when you are searching for Virgil. He could be hurt or-” _

“I know…”

_ “We can get on a flight, Roman. We will if you need your Mamá and papá.” _

Roman nodded, “I know, Mom. I’ll keep you in the loop…”

_ “I love you, little prince.” _

The lump in Roman’s throat grew, “I love you too, Mamá…”

Roman leaned his phone against his forehead, taking deep breaths. The police claimed that Warren Rosen had no criminal record. They “couldn’t do anything. We’re sorry.” Virgil… he promised Virgil that he’d never get hurt again. Roman broke that promise. Roman rubbed at his eyes as he walked towards his apartment door. He was so sick of crying. To be fair, he was sick of everything. If it was possible, Roman would go to bed and wake up next to Virgil, wherever he was. Roman didn’t care if he woke up in the pits of hell. He just wanted the option to hold his kitten again. The chance to just hold Virgil and wipe away his tears and try to heal whatever had been broken curled like poison in Roman’s mind. He would take the chance immediately if someone offered it. Roman froze when he saw a woman standing in front of his apartment door, “... Excuse me?”

The woman turned, holding her phone to her chest, “Hey! Hi! I’m sorry! I just-... Is this Roman Prince’s apartment?”

Roman crossed his arms over his chest, “Who’s asking?”

The woman blinked, “Oh. I’m Delilah. Delilah Maclure. Patton called me.”

Roman felt his eyebrows crease, “I’m Roman.”

Delilah’s brown eyes widened as she took in the disheveled look that Roman had been rocking since Virgil had disappeared from the sanctity of his room. She cleared her throat, “Ah. You-... you’re taller than I expected.”

Roman shrugged, “Look. Why are you here? I know Patton called you but I don’t want to talk to any reporters. You don’t care about Virgil, he’s just a story to you-”

“I’m not a reporter.”

Roman froze, keys hanging halfway out of his pocket, “You-... you’re not?”

Delilah shook her head, pulling a business card from her jacket, “I’m a hybrid social worker.”

Roman took the small slip of paper, staring at it, “... what’s a hybrid social worker?”

“It’s like CPS but for hybrids. Ya know, like hybrids stuck in bad situations,” Roman nodded mutely and Delilah slowly added, “Or hybrids being snatched from their owner’s bed by that same abuser.”

Roman’s entire body stiffened, “How the hell-”

“Patton told me everything, Roman. I’m here to help find Virgil but we need to get to work.”

Roman shook his head to try and clear his thoughts, “Wait… you’re here to help… like actually help?”

Delilah nodded with a sad smile, “Patton showed me pictures of the two of you… it seems only right to make sure that the little kitten is safely returned to your arms.”

Roman felt something in his gut release and tears were dripping down his cheeks. Delilah stiffened as Roman threw his arms around her, “Thank you… thank you.  _ Thank you  _ ** _so much…”_ **

Virgil stared at the ceiling of the darkened room. Not enough food. Not enough water. Too much pain. It felt like someone had taken a bat to the side of his head. It was likely… Virgil couldn’t keep track of what had been in the room. All he knew was that he had seen something…  _ someone? _ ... a flash of silver and then darkness. He awoke to something wet on the side of his head and the smell of copper  _ everywhere.  _ His mind spun as shivers wracked his frame.  _ License…  _ Warren had pried the little piece of metal from his hands, bending the delicate tag with ease. Virgil could still see the engravings in his mind.  _ Virgil…? My name is… Virgil… Virgil… _

_ “Virgil Prince, Kitten. Your name is Virgil Prince.” _

Virgil lifted his head, his head pounded. The world swam for a moment before his vision cleared. There was a man sitting on the floor a few feet away from Virgil’s broken body. He had an elbow resting on his denim covered knee as his green eyes glinted in the low light. Virgil… Virgil didn’t know him. At least, he didn’t think he did. “... who-... who are you…?”

The stranger hummed in thought, running a hand through his brown hair. His smile was blinding,  _ “You can call me Princey, I suppose. Just, get some rest, Virgil. You need to sleep before he comes back.” _

Virgil blinked at Princey, “... you… you’re not real…”

_ “I wouldn’t say that. Are you real?” _

Virgil’s brain hurt too much to even try and pick apart that question, “I meant… you’re not alive…”

_ “Rude. Don’t assume, Virgil. Besides, how do you know that  _ ** _you_ ** _ are alive?” _

Virgil dropped his head back to the ground. He didn’t feel alive anymore… he had… back in the wonderful dreamland where the bed was soft and warm and kind hands met his ears and his skin, he felt alive. He wasn’t sure if it was real… it felt real sometimes… the person in the dreamworld had a beautiful smile and a beautiful voice. If only he could remember who they were. The lock on the door clicked and Virgil flinched away from the entryway.  _ No. No… no more… please… _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman watched as Delilah typed away on her computer. Patton was standing behind her, pointing out random things on the screen. Impatience rolled in Roman’s stomach. “Can I ask what we’re looking for?”

Delilah shushed him as Patton looked up, “Sorry Roman. Just give us a few more seconds.”

Roman bounced his leg, crossing his arms over his chest, “Fine.”

It was quiet for a few more minutes before Delilah looked up, “Can you describe the scars on Virgil’s back?”

“... what?”

“The scars on his back, can you describe them?”

Roman clenched his jaw, “They were crisscrossed down his spine. I don’t know how he got them. He never told me.”

Delilah nodded, typing away on her computer, “Interesting.”

Roman felt his stomach twist, “Why?! Can’t you just tell me what we’re doing?!”

Patton smiled softly, “We’re looking through any reports of found hybrids or even the side websites that people post lost hybrids. There are good people out there who find hybrids on the streets and take them in, like you, but the hybrids want their original owners. Virgil… wanted you as his owner. If he’s out there and someone finds him, they’ll put him on one of these websites. Scars are identifying marks.”

Roman shook his head, “Virgil wouldn’t let a stranger look at his back… He barely gets changed in front of me.”

Delilah shrugged, “It can’t hurt to look.”

Roman sighed. She was right. Roman scoured and searched every inch of the city that he could get his hands on. If the internet could give him a sliver of hope, that’s all he could ask for. It was silent for the next few minutes until Delilah shook her head, “No black cat hybrids that look like Virgil… It was worth a shot. I’m sorry, Roman.”

Roman’s chest tightened and he shook his head, “I-... I figured…”

Patton’s phone rang and he quickly answered it, moving away from the table, “Hello? … Oh! Hey! Did you find anything?... Really?!... Isn’t that enough to-? …  _ It is?! _ ”

Roman pulled away from Patton as he started smacking his arm, “Hey! OW! Patton!”

Patton pointed at the phone and then lifted his finger to his lips, “Aiden! Aiden, you are amazing! … Yes! Email me the papers. … Yep! That’s me!... Oh! Aiden,  _ thank you!  _ … Have a good day!”

Roman looked up at Patton as he grinned. It did nothing to soothe the ache in his chest. “Patton, what’s going on?”

Patton looked over at Delilah, “That was Aiden Griggs. They’re my friend from the office. They were looking through a few files. Warren Rosen once went by the name Warren Hale, he’s been lying on his hybrid adoption papers.”

Roman blinked, “How’d… how’d they figure that out?”

“He tried to adopt three hybrids, all black cats, under the name of Warren Hale. It never worked because Hale had a few accounts of abuse cases against him. It barred him from adoption but he used a fake name, an alias. It covered the charges so that he could adopt a cat hybrid with heterochromia from a pet store downtown.”

Roman swallowed thickly, “Virgil…”

“Yep! And guess what? It’s illegal to lie on the adoption forms. It’s a federal charge.”

Roman sat up straight, forcing himself out of the chair and on to his feet, “It’s a federal charge?!”

Patton nodded, eyes shining as he held up his phone, “And I have all the proof right here for the police. They can’t ignore this, Roman. We won’t let them.”

Roman felt tears start to bubble to the surface as he wrapped his arms around his friend. They were getting closer with every step that they shoved into existence.  _ Please… Please, hold on, Virgil… I’m coming…  _

Virgil pried his eyes open as light pierced into the room from the window. They snapped shut as the light stabbed into his eyes like a hot knife. His head thrummed and he let out a soft whimper as it continued to pound. It would never stop, would it? It didn’t feel like it would.  _ “C’mon, Kitten. You’ve gotta keep those eyes open.” _

_ Princey…  _ Virgil knew in his mind that this… man wasn’t real. He was too perfect, too kind. Virgil shook his head.  _ “Don’t. Don’t. Open your eyes. Don’t you remember the stories? The damsels in distress always get saved.” _

“This… isn’t a story, Princey… I’m stuck here… There’s no… there’s no prince coming this time… The window’s locked… I’m chained up… and even if I wasn’t, my leg…”

_ “You’re in pain… I know, Gatito, but you can’t give up.” _

Virgil felt his entire body shake, tears welling up in his eyes. The time for stories was over… There was no prince coming to save him… He wasn’t an idiot.

_ “I promise… He’ll never touch you again.” _

Virgil’s shoulders shook. Promises… Empty promises ran through his head. He didn’t… he couldn’t even remember who it was… It didn’t ease his heart… Virgil wanted to bash his head against the concrete floor just to get that… stupid voice out of his mind. He could sleep then… A tear fell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I have ANY idea what I’m doing? 
> 
> Nope.
> 
> Am I gonna do it anyways?
> 
> ... yeah.
> 
> Love you kiddos!


	18. A Sound Like Thunder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really short chapter ahead. Whoop.

The file that slammed onto the desk at the police station was thick, stuffed with papers from Pet Agree, Patton’s notes, the failed adoption papers, Virgil’s paper license, the thing that tied his life to Roman’s, and a few pictures of Virgil. Officer Watts lifted his head with a sigh, “Mr. Prince, I’ve already-”

“Warren Hale.”

“... what?”

Roman’s eyes glinted in the light, “ _ Warren Hale. _ That’s Warren Rosen’s real name. He lied on Virgil’s adoption papers.”

Officer Watts rubbed his temple, “How do you know this?”

Patton stepped forward, “I found it. I’m Doctor Hart from Pet Agree, I’m one of their head veterinarians. I have friends in the adoption circuit and HPA.”

Roman watched as Officer Watt’s shoulders stiffened, “You have no authority to-”

Patton snapped, “I have every authority. I am a veterinarian first and foremost. I believe that Virgil has been taken by his abuser,” Roman quickly moved to the side as Patton shoved forward, opening the file and fishing picture after picture out of the papers, “The same abuser that left him with whipping injuries and PTSD. He is the sweetest, little hybrid that I’ve ever treated and he was  _ stolen _ out of a locked room. You  ** _officers _ ** wouldn’t do anything. So I did something while Roman searched the city.”

Roman swallowed thickly, “Please, Officer. Virgil-... he’s everything to me… can’t you just… look into Warren Hale? Please? Just send a squad over to his place… and the properties he owns. It doesn’t have to be a whole search, I’m asking for a little bit of help. That’s it.”

Officer Watt let out a long breath, “Okay. Fine. I’ll send a few squad cars to check out Warren Hale. But if we don’t find anything, it’s over. Okay?”

The lump in Roman’s throat grew hard, “... okay…”

Virgil woke up to a pounding far off in the building. He blinked at the wall for a moment, laying as still as he could as the noise faded. His right ear twitched. He wasn’t sure if he was in a house or an industrial building. Then again, everything around him could be a hallucination. Princey wasn’t real. Who said  _ anything _ around Virgil was real? He could barely hear voices in the building. A couple rolling through the doorway. Virgil’s head pounded as he tried to focus on the sound. He winced away from the doorway as footsteps walked past the closed door, “what’s this?”

It was a stranger. Warren’s voice answered, “It's just a closet. You’re more than welcome to open it.”

It was silent for a moment and Virgil wanted to cry out, scream for help, but no air would push past his lungs as the stranger replied too quickly, “No. You’re fine. I’m sorry for bothering you.”

“Oh, please. Don’t worry about it.”

“It’s just a paranoid college student. Hybrid ran away.”

“Ah,” Fake concern, “Poor thing. I do hope you find it.”

The voices faded off down the hallway and Virgil sagged to the ground. 

It only took a few minutes for the lock on the door to wiggle and then the door opened.

“You’re more trouble than you’re worth. Aren’t you?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman pulled at his hood as the snow drifted down from the sky. Logan has sent him on a walk to get him out of the apartment. He had been sitting by the phone for days… there was nothing. Roman ran a hand down his face, trying to take deep breaths as his entire torso tightened. His apartment building was a few yards away. The alleyway where he had first found Virgil had stayed empty… no matter how many times Roman checked but he still checked. He wasn’t sure why. He was a few steps away from the front door when his gut lurched. He took a small step back and glanced into the alleyway. A thin layer of snow covered the ground, just enough to see the drag marks on the concrete. Roman raised an eyebrow, taking a step into the alleyway before shaking himself. People dragged trash bags all the time-... something didn’t sit well in his stomach, not when there was a splattering of droplets across the white surface of the snow.  _ Red. _ Roman took a few more steps and-

** _“VIRGIL!”_ **

Roman almost slipped running to the broken figure on the ground. Virgil didn’t move, didn’t even flinch as Roman dropped to his knees next to him, “Virgil! Kitten! C’mon! Look at me.”

There was a puddle of red- Roman knew it was blood, he couldn’t think about it- that was growing and growing and growing from his Kitten. His skin was pale, a round hole seeping blood on his stomach.   


Virgil’s breath wasn’t there. 

_ No. No. “NO! Virgil! Virgil, PLEASE!” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...
> 
> Yep.


	19. The Quiet of A Hospital Waiting Room

Silver Hill Hospital was an emergency room on Seventh Street that catered to hybrids as well… and it’s where the stretcher that carried Roman’s heart was taken. The ambulance had been full of turmoil and noise and Roman wanted to scream at the paramedics. It was too loud. If Virgil woke up- he _ would _ wake up- he’d be so scared. Electricity jolted through the hybrid’s chest three times before a heartbeat appeared on the screen, not steady, not strong, but there. Roman tried to follow the gurney once the emergency vehicle stopped outside of the hospital. He did. He never wanted to let Virgil out of his sight again. Arms caught him, barred him from following that precious cargo down the hall. He kicked and screamed and sobbed until… until he ended up here in the waiting room, staring down at his hands, coated in red, with a blanket hanging over his shoulders. The doors flew open and Roman couldn’t drag his gaze away from the stains on his hands, “ROMAN!”

Two pairs of footsteps approached quickly and he lifted his head, “Patt… Lo…”

Patton dropped to his knees in front of his friend as Logan knelt down in one fluid motion, “Roman, we heard what happened. The hospital called us.”

Roman scoffed harshly at himself, “Fat load of good we did, huh? Searching everywhere… Virgil’s-”

Patton put a hand on his arm, “Alive. Virgil is _ alive. _”

“Barely-!”

“But he’s alive. He’s breathing. He has a heartbeat, Roman.”

Roman choked on a sob, “He didn’t—” Patton tensed up in front of him, “— I lost him! I lost him in the ambulance! He didn’t have a heartbeat! He didn’t have a heartbeat for three minutes, Patton…! _ Three minutes…” _

Roman broke. Patton watched as the tiny cracks that had been building in Roman’s countenance shattered like a mirror that had a cinder block dropped on it. It wasn’t the usual explosion of color that usually occurred when Roman was in a good mood. This was dark and piercing and it cut Patton into pieces. Patton glanced over at his boyfriend, looking for help. Logan met his gaze steadily before standing and walking away. Patton blinked for a second. Logan… walked away? He shook his head. He could try and talk to Logan after he picks up the pieces of Roman’s heart. Patton knew that he wasn’t the person to be doing this. A person couldn’t even do this. A hybrid, specifically a black cat hybrid with mismatched eyes, could do this. Virgil would be able to pick up the shattered pieces with shaking hands and glue them back together with just a smile but he wasn’t here. So Patton had to take his place.

It wasn’t long before Logan rejoined them and Patton went to scold him softly when he placed a pack of hand wipes on the ground and pulled one out, beginning to wipe the bloodstains off of Roman’s shaking hands. Patton blinked as Logan started to speak, “Roman, Virgil is in surgery. Do you know what that means?”

Roman’s voice quivered, “I failed-”

Logan’s voice was strong and stern, “No. No, that’s self-blame. It’s a cognitive distortion. You did not fail. You did everything you could have done in your situation. You called the proper authorities, you tried to stop the bleeding, and you stayed reasonable until they took him away from you. He is in surgery because he’s still alive. Virgil is fighting to come back to you. You love him, right?”

Roman nodded, “Yeah…”

“Then you have to trust yourself. You pulled Virgil from the brink before. You’re going to do it again because he needs you to. He’s fighting right now so that he can leave the rest of the battle to you.”

Roman blinked, “But,” he looked down at his hands, Logan had finished wiping the blood off, he took a deep breath, “Okay. Yeah. You’re right. Virgil needs me.”

“Yes, he does.”

“I need to be ready for whatever he needs to feel safe again.”

“Even if that means…?”

“Even,” Roman’s voice broke, “Even if it means that he doesn’t want to be near me again.”

Logan nodded, “It'll hurt.”

“But if that’s what it takes for him to feel safe, I’ll do it.”

“Good.”

Patton stared at the two. He forgot that they had a history before he came into the mix. Logan was forward-thinking, logical and sometimes mistaken as cold, and Roman was creative, bright and colorful in almost everything he did. They argued some days but they needed each other. They worked well together and Logan knew how to get his point into Roman’s mind. Roman didn’t need Patton trying to pick up the pieces of his heart by hand. He needed Logan to come in with logic to stitch his mind back together and steer him in the right direction. Virgil was the one that could help his heart. Patton felt a little dumb and a little useless as Roman took deep breaths. Logan picked up the few wipes, tinged red, that he had used and stood. Patton hurried to follow him, “Lolo, how’d you do that?”

Logan looked over as he tossed the wipes into the trash can, “What do you mean?”

“That. Getting Roman to actually _ think _ through this… this _ mess?!” _

Logan shrugged, “He needed me to point out the facts and a little urge to what Virgil will need if he makes it out of surgery.”

Patton felt his breath stop, “You talked to a nurse, didn’t you?”

Logan’s jaw clenched, “... I did… I needed to know.”

“_ Logan-!” _

“I know. I know, Patton. I shouldn’t have but I needed to know what I was talking Roman to.”

Patton bit out, “You just said ‘if’, Logan.”

“It’s always an ‘if’ with surgery, Patton-”

“Don’t. _ Don’t. _Tell me the truth.”

Logan let out a breath, “Virgil… has a spiral fraction on the tibia of his right leg, his fibula is fractured. He has multiple lacerations and he has internal bleeding from broken ribs, a traumatic head wound, and one of his ears was damaged. He was shot with a nine Millimeter handgun in his torso. It’s a 50-50 chance that he even makes it through the surgery.”

Patton stared at his boyfriend. Logan’s voice had gone flat. He had separated himself from the facts that dripped from his tongue because he was scared of the possibilities. If it was 100% full-proof, Logan didn’t like it. Patton reached out for Logan on instinct, wanting to comfort the fear and pain that raced under his skin when he was stressed. Logan shook his head and Patton pulled back. When Logan didn’t want to be touched, he made it known. It was a fact that Patton was very thankful for. He was touchy but he knew that Logan had moments where he didn’t want to be Patton’s body pillow. That line of communication was very important to him. Patton took a breath, glancing over at Roman, “We need to be ready for the worst-case scenario…”

Logan nodded and ran a hand through his hair, “Do you think Virgil will be able to pull through this?”

Patton sighed softly, “I really don’t know. I’d have to talk to a doctor to see what’s going on. I’m worried about the head wound… If it caused any brain damage, he could lose memories… Trauma alone can cause memory loss and if he doesn’t remember Roman and everything that he’s done, we’ll have to start from the beginning. The attacks, the hiding, everything would be back. Roman would be a stranger and he’d have to start rebuilding trust all over again.”

“Roman would do it.”

Patton kept his voice low, “I know that. It just might be hard. Virgil… Virgil was barely holding on when Roman found him the first time. This… this could’ve pushed everything over the edge, Logan. He might not be the same hybrid that Roman fell in love with.”

Logan shook his head, “It’s just another cliff. Roman’s pulled all of us off one at some point.”

Patton knew that. Roman was like a beacon in a storm. A safe haven for when one of them broke. Seeing him like this, staring unseeing into a void, dragged on both of their hearts. Roman was good at being a rock. He was happy and peppy and always had hugs to give away. Virgil was going through a rough patch, a fall rainstorm turned into a howling hurricane. If anyone could bring him back from another brink, it was Roman. _ Another _brink. Patton wrinkled his nose. Virgil should never have had the first edge, to begin with. He should’ve been adopted by a loving household the first time around. Then again… Virgil might not have met Roman if he had been but Virgil would be living in the lap of luxury, some rich owner doting on him. Patton could almost see it. An older lady meeting Virgil in the pet store and falling in love with his ears and eyes and scooping him up to put him on a pedestal. Patton shook his head. Roman gave Virgil everything. A lap of luxury didn’t have anything on his friend.

Roman watched as Logan and Patton spoke quietly. It was starting to drag on his nerves. They were already frayed and falling apart. He clutched his phone like a lifeline. He didn’t know how long that they would be here, sitting in a waiting room. He took a deep breath, turning on the screen, choking back tears at the background of Virgil, bundled up in Roman’s hoodie. The messaging app was still open to their conversations.

** _Message Received from 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ Hans is a dick. _

** _Message Sent to 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ Finally got around to Frozen, Gatito? _

** _Message Received from 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ Yes. Hans isn’t a prince. _

** _Message Sent to 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ I mean… Technically, he is. _

** _Message Received from 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ But not in his heart. He left Anna to die. That’s not a prince. That’s a dick, Ro. :/ _

Roman choked on a half-laugh. Virgil’s texting was so much different than his actual speaking tone. He was brash and confident and absolutely beautiful. Roman continued to scroll. 

** _Message Received from 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ What’s the Aristocats? _

** _Message Sent to 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ OOH! That’s a good one. Watch it and let me know what you think about it. _

** _Message Received from 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ Duchess reminds me of my mom. _

** _Message Sent to 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ How so? _

** _Message Received from 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ Beautiful… _

_ Is that weird? _

** _Message Sent to 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ Thinking your mom is beautiful? Not at all. _

_ I think my mom is the most beautiful woman to walk this planet. _

** _Message Received from 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ … Thanks, Ro. _

** _Message Sent to 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ Of course, Cariño. Don’t forget to eat lunch! _

** _Message Received from 🐾☂️Kitten☂️🐾_ **

_ I’ve got a sandwich. Have a good day… _

_ Be safe _

It always felt like Virgil had something else to tack on at the end when he ended his texts like that. Just a simple “_ Be safe”._ No period. No ending mark at all. Roman closed his eyes, leaning his head onto the screen of his phone. The very last conversation that he had with Virgil over messages had been Roman reminding him to eat lunch… How many memories did he have to circle through before Virgil was back in his arms?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Apparently, it was a lot. It was a lot of memories. Roman had started pacing the floor when the sixth hour ticked by. Logan was reading a book that he had caved and bought at the gift shop. Overpriced as always. Roman didn’t even have to look at the title to know that it was a scifi book. A book that Virgil would probably love to get his hands on. Patton had disappeared about thirty minutes ago. Roman was pretty sure he had worn a line into the floor with how many times he moved across the room. He shortened his pacing when a family came in. A middle-aged woman, holding the hand of a… hybrid. She was holding a hybrid’s hand. The hybrid was young, maybe ten or eleven, and had perfect, pointed ginger cat ears. Roman’s throat tightened as the woman situated the hybrid in a seat, handing him a book from her purse, “Remember-”

“We won’t be here long. Gavin’s just here for a check-up.”

The woman smiled brilliantly, scratching at the hybrid’s ear, “Good job, Crew!”

Roman’s lungs felt like they were being crushed as Crew purred happily. He would give up his arm to have Crew be Virgil… Even if they were strangers, meeting once in passing. Roman shook his head to try and clear his thoughts and turned around. “Oh! He’s adorable!”

Roman looked over his shoulder. Patton was holding a few bags of snacks and smiling widely at the hybrid and his owner. The woman looked up, “Oh. Thank you! This is Crew. I’m Marissa.”

“It’s very nice to meet you. I’m Patton Hart. I’m a vet at Pet Agree.”

Marissa sat up a little straighter, “Not _ the _Doctor Hart?”

Patton giggled, “That’s me!”

“We’ve been trying to get in to you for months! You have quite the waiting list.”

Patton hummed, “I know. I’ve been busy lately. My schedule’s been cut short as of late.”

“I completely understand. We’ve been so busy lately as well and with that pet snatcher-”

Patton cut her off efficiently but kindly, “I know. Owning a hybrid can be very scary.”

“Do you have one?”

“No.”

“They make wonderful companions. My husband and I adopted Crew about two months ago and he’s just a doll!”

Patton nodded, “I know. I don’t own one but my friend does- Roman! C’mere.”

Roman shook his head, not daring to speak. Patton gave him a pointed look and Roman’s hands shook as he approached. Marissa looked up expectantly as Roman choked out, “I’m-... I’m Roman Prince.”

Marissa blinked, surprise dawning on her face, “Oh. You’re-... You’re much younger than I expected.”

_ She read the articles. _Roman bit down on his tongue, looking down at the floor. Crew’s voice shattered the spinning thoughts, “Did you ever find your hybrid?”

Roman looked up, voice cracking, “What?”

Marissa sighed, petting Crew’s ears softly, “When Gavin and I first read the article, we were so scared that someone might try and take our little Crew and we felt awful for you and your hybrid. It would be terrible to lose something that you care about. Especially when the entire world is telling you that he just… ran away. When the article’s stopped, we thought that you had caved…”

Roman shook his head, “N-.. no. I didn’t… I-... I kept looking…”

“Did you find him?”

“... He’s in surgery.”

Marissa blinked as she took in the atmosphere around Roman, “_ Oh… _I’m so sorry…”

“It’s-...” Roman’s voice broke as tears streamed down his cheeks, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I’d be in the same state if I was in your shoes. Please, sit down.”

Roman shook his head, “No. I can’t… I’d drive myself crazy… It was really nice meeting you.”

Marissa shook his hand, “You too… I hope everything turns out okay, Mr. Prince.”

Roman’s tears had doubled by the time he crossed the room to stand next to Logan. Everything hurt. He buried his head in his hands and slowly slid to the ground. He sat like that, head in his hands, for too long before a gentle hand touched his shoulder. His gaze snapped up. Crew was holding his book to his chest, “Mr. Prince, can you read me a story?”

Roman blinked and glanced over at Patton, who was watching him with a sad smile. He wiped at his cheeks, “Sure, Crew. Whatcha got for me?”

Crew sat next to him, offering the book. Roman wanted to laugh. _ Fairy tales. God, _ Patton was playing him. “Any of them. They’re all good.”

Roman opened the book, flipping through the pages, “... You ever read _Rapunzel,_ Crew?”

Crew wrinkled his nose in thought, “... No. I don’t think so?”

“Well,” Roman’s heart was lead in his chest, “It’s a classic.”

Crew looked up at him, “Okay. Read it?”

Roman cleared his throat, trying to swallow past the lump.

_ “Roman! There’s a Rapunzel movie!” _

_ “I know, Virgil. That’s what we’re watching tonight.” _

_ “Awesome!” _

“There were once a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for a child. At length, the woman hoped that God was about to grant her desire. These people had a little window at the back of their house from which a splendid garden could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful flowers and herbs. It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress, who had great power and was dreaded by all the world…”

Crew was as apt a listener as Virgil was, hanging onto every word of the story and when Roman closed the book, his soul felt a little settled. Crew blinked, “Whoa! That’s awesome. Did that really happen?”

Roman let out a half-laugh, still being choked by the lump in his throat, “It’s just a story… Princes like that don’t really exist.”

Crew hummed before, “But your last name is Prince?”

“... Yes?”

“... Have you ever saved someone?”

Roman felt like he had been punched in the gut, “... Y-yes.”

Crew shrugged, taking back his book, “That makes you a real prince in my book,” He stood, “Thank you for reading me a story!”

“... You’re welcome…”

Crew skipped back over to the door where his two owners were waiting. He turned with a brilliant smile and a wave, “Have a good day!”

Roman lifted his hand in a weak wave and watched as the family disappeared. Patton’s smile hadn’t changed, “... Feel a little better?”

Roman shrugged honestly, “Cute kid…”

“With very good owners.”

Roman nodded, tears dripping down his cheeks once more, “Yeah…”

The door opened, Roman lurching to his feet as a voice called out, “Virgil Prince?”

“That’s me. It’s me.”

The doctor blinked in surprise as Patton and Logan joined Roman in front of him, “Well… it was touch and go for a while. Virgil will need substantial support. We don't know if he'll make it through the week... If he does, he'll stand a much higher chance at overall survival... It's iffy at best," Roman's chest tightened, "For now, he's stable... you can go see him... He's in room 147."

“... Thank you, Doctor.”

“Of course.”

Roman practically sprinted down the hallway. He didn’t know what he was expecting but just seeing Virgil sleeping in a bed, a heart monitor beeping next to him, nearly broke everything in Roman’s body. _ Oh my god… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I cry writing this chapter?
> 
> A little. Yes. I don't know why.
> 
> Love you, Kiddos!
> 
> Stay safe out there.


	20. The Waking World

Roman couldn’t believe that he had to take a chair  _ next  _ to Virgil’s bed. He couldn’t believe that he had to be here in the first place. Virgil was deathly pale and so, so skinny. Roman’s own stomach churned at the sharp edges of Virgil’s cheekbones and the stupid  _ fucking  _ breathing tube in his nostrils. Roman choked on a weak sob, placing his hand over the fragile fingers that laid, limp, on the hospital bed. Patton slid the railings of the bed down as Roman broke all over again. He wanted to crawl beside Virgil, to envelop him in a tight hug and let the hybrid know that he was safe. Roman dropped his head to the mattress, tears dripping down his cheeks. A gentle hand carded through his hair before the weight disappeared. Roman didn’t have to look up to know that Patton had left the room, Logan sitting across the bed on one of the other chairs in the room. Roman lifted his head to look at Virgil.

Most of his body, frail and broken, was covered in a blanket. Despite this, Roman could see too many injuries. His right leg was in a cast, resting on a pillow. Bandages were wrapped around Virgil’s left arm. Roman forced himself to look past the edge of the blanket, up to Virgil’s face. All the lines were smoothed from his face in his sleep. A white bandage, tinged red in the center, was wrapped securely around his head. Roman’s chest ached at the sight of one of Virgil’s perfect ears wrapped with a splint. It was like the cartilage had been damaged. It probably had… Roman slowly reached up, gently dragging his knuckles down the delicate skin of Virgil’s cheek. Virgil’s ear twitched at the touch but he stayed mercifully asleep. Roman took a deep breath, tears starting to stream down his cheeks. He leaned his head against the covers, clinging onto Virgil’s hand. 

Virgil felt like he was floating in a warm bath. He opened his eyes and… yes, he was floating in a bath. Well, floating wasn’t the right word. He was sitting in a warm bath, porcelain surrounding him. He sat up, dragging himself out of the water. Virgil wrapped himself in a warm robe, it was fluffy and smelled so familiar, something that Virgil couldn’t quite place. Something that was just a little bit out of Virgil’s reach. It made Virgil’s chest ache. Virgil tugged the robe closer to his body. The apartment was nearly silent. Music twisted through the air. The carpet was soft underneath his bare feet. It was warm and comfortable… This wasn’t… This wasn’t Warren’s house… It was too quiet, too peaceful. He felt safe here, despite not recognizing the areas surrounding him. Well, he thought he didn’t recognize this place but his feet found their way out of the hall and into the living room. It was small-ish. A soft gray couch was pushed against the wall, a black coffee table, and a plush, black leather was sitting next to a bookshelf. Virgil wrapped his arms around his body. The robe was ridiculously soft and warm. He stared at the bookshelf, trying to read the titles. They were all blurry. Virgil couldn’t make them out. He rubbed at his eyes, squinting at the spines of the books. He slowly pulled a golden lettered book off the shelf, turning it in his hands. It was colorful on the front, the golden blur giving way to a title.  _ The Bedtime Fairy Tale Collection. _

Virgil blinked, staring at it for a moment before a quiet clank rang from the next room over. Virgil held the book to his chest as he turned. There was a doorway behind the couch. Light streamed through the open doorway. Virgil took a shaky step towards the doorway. Why was it so bright? Virgil slowly peeked into the doorway. It was a kitchen, small but homey. There was a figure standing at the stove. He blinked.  _ Princey? _ It was Princey cooking on the stove. He was humming a song, a familiar song. Was it? It had to be. Virgil knew that tune from somewhere. It was sitting on the tip of his tongue. Virgil’s ear twitched as something warm brushed against his cheek. It didn’t feel like anything, just a brush of air. He turned to look for the pressure, there was nothing. “There you are, Virgil. Did you like your bath?”

Virgil jumped, spinning to face Princey, “Where are we?”

Princey looked around and spread his arms in an all-encompassing gesture, “C’mon. You don’t recognize this place?”

Virgil glanced around and shook his head, “Should I?”

“Yeah. Come on. Doesn’t it turn some gears?”

“I-... I don’t know…”

It did. It did! Virgil just couldn’t stick it to anything solid. The tiles were cold under his feet, the book was heavy in his arms. Everything seemed so familiar. Even the cutting board on the counter looked familiar. There was a chipped mug sitting on the counter. Virgil rubbed at his forehead. His head was pounding. Darkness was closing in all around him. Virgil shook his head to try and clear his thoughts. Everything was starting to spin and he dropped to the floor, the book clattering onto the tile floor. Everything hurt again. He could never rest, could he? The robe wasn’t warm anymore. It felt like he was drowning, ice-cold water filling his entire body. He shivered. It was  _ right  _ ** _THERE._ ** How could he not remember this place? He knew the layout like the back of his hand. 

The hall contained two bedrooms, one had a longer mattress, covered in a dark blue quilt, filled with books. The other had a shorter mattress, covered in a heavy, red duvet and a hundred pillows, and fairy lights lining the walls with pictures hanging off of them. There was a bathroom with a shower/bath combination. The living room was connected to the kitchen and entryway. Virgil knew this place. He had to. In the back of his mind, he knew that this place was safe or it was supposed to be. There was a warm pressure on his cheek and his breath escaped in one fell swoop. He knew that smell. It was cinnamon and it was warm and comforting. Virgil sobbed.

Roman didn’t know what had happened. He had been almost asleep when Virgil’s hand twitched in his and he was sitting up to make sure that he wasn’t waking up. Then Virgil was crying, tears seeping from under his eyelids. Virgil’s cheeks were cold underneath Roman’s palms as he wiped at the tears with his thumbs, murmuring absolutely gibberish to just  _ try _ and stop the tears from coming. Roman’s voice broke and cracked as he spoke, “Hey… Hey, it’s okay. I’m here. I’m right here whenever you want to wake up, Kitten. There’s no stress, mi Vida. No one will touch you ever again. You could wake up right now and tell me to get off and I would. I’d do it without a second thought.”

Roman waited for someone to tell him to shut up as he rambled on. It never came. Virgil’s tears slowed eventually, letting Roman wipe away the last remains of them. His shoulders sank. He was so exhausted. He just wanted Virgil to wake up. He wanted to pull the hybrid into his arms and take him home. Virgil always slept like a rock in his bed. Tears were beginning to streak down Roman’s cheeks once more. He dropped his head onto the mattress again, “Please, Virgil…  _ Please… Come back to me. _ ”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Virgil knew that Princey wasn’t real but he was warm and let Virgil settle onto his chest and held him. It felt like Princey would be able to crush all the broken parts back together. It was impossible but it was nice to think that Virgil could feel whole again. Virgil’s stomach churned as he laid out on the couch. He couldn’t sleep. Although, now that he thought about it, he could never sleep in this strange familiar but not familiar apartment. Virgil sat up, scratching the back of his head. His head was starting to pound. He got random flashes of memories sometimes. They were warm and full of light and Virgil could never look past the blinding light to focus on the voice that spoke in his memories.

Virgil looked around the apartment. It was empty. Princey had been there two seconds ago. Virgil pushed onto his feet, continuing to look around. He searched everywhere but the apartment was empty. Something settled in his stomach. He could name it.  _ Dread. _ He hated being alone here. It felt like Warren was around every corner. He pressed himself into a corner of the room, shrinking down to the floor. He could hear footsteps, chattering, beeping-  _ noise _ . It was too much noise. Virgil choked on a sob.

Roman pried his eyes open as chaos reigned outside of Virgil’s room. One of the rooms across the hall had a big family… He usually loved the noise of happy families. It was a good sign but today… he was not happy with it. Virgil needed the quiet to rest… He wouldn’t wake up if he couldn’t get any rest. Roman sat up, turning to look over at the door. He stood, slowly closing the door, cutting off the sounds of visiting families. Patton had left for work, Logan walking with him. Virgil had been sleeping for almost three days now. The heartbeat monitor’s beeping was starting to chip into the shell that Roman had built up. He understood that the constant beeping meant that Virgil was still struggling, fighting, to come back to him. Roman took a shaking breath and returned to his seat, gently taking Virgil’s hand in his.

His jacket was wrapped securely around the hybrid’s shoulders. Virgil had started shaking one night and Roman couldn’t stand it. Virgil settled as the familiar weight and smell surrounded him. Roman squeezed Virgil’s hand as gently as possible. He leaned his head onto the mattress one last time, closing his eyes. He was planning on sleeping more… He needed to so that he could be ready when Virgil woke up. Roman let out a slow breath, letting darkness embrace him. 

A flutter of movement wretched Roman back into the land of the living. He blinked, rubbing at his eyes. His heart dropped out of his chest when the hand in his gripped his fingers. Roman faced Virgil as quickly as he could, he swore he heard the bones in his neck crack. Virgil had tears dripping down his cheeks, brown and blue mismatched eyes filled with pain. Roman shushed him as gently as possible, “Honey, Kitten… It’s okay.”

_ He’s awake. He’s awake. He’s  _ ** _awake!_ ** Virgil blinked rapidly, his mouth opening and shutting for a moment before he croaked out, “... where were you…?”

Roman felt another sob start crawling up his throat, “I was looking for you, Kitten… I was looking everywhere.”

Virgil shook his head, crying out when he hit his bandaged ear against the pillow. Roman wanted to help… he didn’t know  _ how _ and it was breaking his heart. Virgil’s voice was broken, “You can’t-... You can’t leave me like that, Princey…”

Roman blinked, “... what?”

“Princey… You sat with me in that place… do you- don’t you remember…?”

Roman stared at the hybrid, “Virgil… I’m Roman. Roman Prince. Come on, Gatito.  _ Roman… _ ”

Virgil shook his head, tears doubling, “I’m sorry-! I’m sorry! I don’t-... You’re not Princey?”

“No.”

Virgil sobbed, “ _ No.  _ ** _No…! _ ** I need him. I need him here…!”

Roman eased a hand over his cheek, “It’s okay, Virgil. It’s okay… Look… You’re going to get more medication soon. You’ll be asleep-”

_ “Where’s Princey?!  _ I need him!  _ Please!” _

Virgil’s hand tightened around Roman’s. Roman knew that he was terrified, morphine pumping through his system, making his mind fuzzy. Roman scooted closer, freezing as Virgil’s breath grew panicked. He had to think. He had to. “Virgil. Virgil, it’s okay. Listen. Princey…”  _ Fuck,  _ “Princey had to go… Okay? He left me here instead. I’m Roman… Roman Prince.”

Virgil’s tears didn’t slow but the mounting panic seemed to slow, “He-... He left you here…?”

“Yeah. Yeah. He told me to take care of you.”

“R-Roman Prince…?”

Roman nodded, “Yeah… That’s me…”

“... He trusts you…?”

“Yeah, Kitten… He trusts me… I’ll make sure nothing gets you.”

Virgil nodded, eyes slowly starting to slide close, “... kay… Thank you, Roman…”

Roman bit the inner corner of his cheek, trying to muffle the breaking of his heart, “Of course, mi Vida…”  _ Anything for my Kitten... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finals are coming up so I'm STRUGGLING. But probably not as much as Virgil is. 
> 
> Love you guys.


	21. We're All Stories in the End

Roman had his head laid on the mattress as he stroked circles in the back of Virgil’s hand. He had been sleeping for a few hours now, his ears twitching in his sleep. The bandaged one stayed mostly still. Virgil must know that it was injured. Roman’s head hurt as he tried to comprehend who Virgil had been asking for. He had called Roman,  _ Princey _ ? Roman’s stomach churned. Had Virgil’s mind started to fall apart and he scrambled to find a safe memory? He happened to land on Roman’s likeness, his personality, and stuck with it?  _ Princey? _ It fit… ironically. Virgil’s hand twitched in Roman’s grip and Roman lifted his head. Virgil blinked awake and he stared at the ceiling for a moment before dropping his gaze onto Roman. Roman smiled weakly, “Buenos días, Gatito.”

Virgil blinked before croaking, “Good morning…?”

Roman nodded before squeezing Virgil’s hand, “Do you remember who I am…?”

“You-...” Virgil swallowed, licking his lips, “You’re Roman Prince… Princey,” Roman’s heart sank, “Princey told you to watch me…”

Roman nodded once more, “Yeah, he did… He told me to take care of you.”

“Take care of me…?”

“Yes. So if you need anything,  _ tell me.” _

Roman was praying to any god out there that Virgil hadn’t sunk back into the spinning of rules. It had taken so long to guide him out of that state of mind. “... Can I get a glass of water…?”

Roman slowly got to his feet, “Yeah. I’ll get you one.”

“... thank you.”

Virgil watched as Roman moved across the room to the small facet attached to the wall. It frustrated him to no end. Roman  _ moved _ like Princey. It was the same stride, same arm movement,  _ hell _ even the hair movement was the same. They spoke the same. They had the same smile. Virgil slammed his own mind against the wall in his memories. There was something beyond that. Something that was full of warmth and happiness and light. Virgil wanted to know what it was. A glass of water was pressed into his hand and he blinked. Roman was looking at him with… something? It was something that made Virgil’s chest feel full and warm. He didn’t feel hollow anymore. There was also a deep sadness, the emeralds in his eyes dulled. His eyes were gorgeous, even dulled. It made Virgil’s chest ache to see them so empty. Roman helped Virgil sit up just enough to drink the water, bracing the pillows behind him to form a soft cushion and helping him bring the glass up to his lips. The water soothed Virgil’s throat. 

Roman sat in the chair next to the bed. A voice in the back of Virgil’s mind prodded,  _ bet he’s been sitting there since before you woke up.  _ Virgil watched as Roman put the glass of water on the table. His tail twitched underneath the sheets as Roman ran a hand down his face and then shook his head. He looked properly exhausted. He looked as tired as Virgil felt. Virgil swallowed, “How-... how long have you been here?”

“Huh? How long have I been where?”

“Here…? In the hospital…? With me?”

Roman sighed, “Kitten… I’m not sure…”

Virgil’s ear twitched and he clenched his jaw, trying not to cry even more, “Don’t… don’t lie to me… Don’t. I don’t even know who I am anymore…! I’m lying to myself…! Tell me the truth!”

Virgil blinked as Roman was beside him immediately, wiping tears away from his cheeks, “Honey. It’s okay. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s okay, Kitten. I’ve been here for about five days now… with you, every step of the way.”

“... Why…? Princey said—… Princey said to take care of me… you didn’t have to stay here with me.”

“Yes, I did. You don’t understand but I did.”

“But… why…?”

“... Princey asked me to. He can’t be here so… I’m staying instead.”

Virgil felt his mind start to slow once more. He knew he’d be asleep in a moment, everything dragging out to an agonizing pace. His tongue felt heavy as he spoke, “Is it just you…?”

“No… no. There’s two-... four others… Patton and Logan and Remus and Dolos.”

More familiar but not familiar names. Virgil’s brain  _ hurt _ . “Will I have to meet them all…?”

“Not at once… You’ll meet Patton and Logan first. They won’t hurt you.”

Virgil nodded, sinking further into his pillows as Roman tucked the blankets around him and Virgil blinked, “... what’s that smell…?”

“What smell?”

_ Cinnamon. _ “It’s cinnamon…”

Roman’s voice grew thick, “Oh. That’s—... that’s just my jacket… I’ll take it off—”

“ _ No! _ ”

Virgil froze at his own refusal, hand tightened into a fist around the material of the jacket. Roman was staring at him as Virgil took a shuddering breath, “... No… no. It’s… I want it… please.”

Roman nodded mutely and Virgil pulled the jacket closer to his head as the medication started to kick in once more. No human smelled exactly alike… Virgil knew that from experience… so why did Princey smell exactly like Roman’s jacket…? He pushed that thought to the side. He could focus on that line of thought later… when he was more awake.

Virgil awoke to quiet talking and something pressing against his chest. Tears were already beginning to stream down his cheeks as Virgil lifted a shaking hand to push the cold weight away from him but a hand caught him, “No. No. Honey, it’s okay. It’s okay. It’s just Patton.”

Virgil still felt like something was crushing him but the weight moved away from him and he pried his eyes open. Everything hurt again. He didn’t understand why. The pain had gone away. It had disappeared…! Why was it back?! There was a soft hand on his cheek and Virgil’s vision focused slowly, “R-... Roman…?”

Roman gave a pained smile, “Hey, Kitten… What’s wrong, Virgil? Can you tell me?”

“H-” Virgil’s voice was broken and everything  _ ached _ , “It… it  _ hurts… It hurts, Roman…” _

Roman’s eyes widened. He looked up and moved away from where he was, gently cupping Virgil’s cheeks. Virgil wanted to sob. He needed Roman-  _ wait. Why do I need Roman…? I don’t even know him. _

** _Yes, you do. You know him. It’s just-_ ** “He’s out of morphine. Patton, can you go-”

“I’m on it.”

Prince-  _ Roman _ brushed the back of his knuckles against Virgil’s cheek, “It’s okay. It’s okay, Virgil. It won’t hurt soon, Gatito. It won’t, I swear.”

Virgil knew that Roman was just trying to help as his fingers lingered on his cheeks. Virgil raised a shaking hand, clutching onto Roman’s, “... I’m… I’m gonna be okay… right…?”

Roman nodded, “Yeah, Kitten. You’re going to be just fine… I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Virgil squeezed Roman’s hand, “R-Roman… Can… Can you tell me a story…?”

“A story…?”

“... yeah… Please…”

Roman took a deep breath, “Yeah… Okay. Let me think for a second, Kitten… Um… Okay. Once upon a time, there was… a Prince and this Prince had… lost something…”

Virgil blinked over at Roman, he was leaning on the bed, hand around Virgil’s, “What’d he lose…?”

Roman’s thumb rubbed across Virgil’s knuckles, “Some people said that he had lost a very important book or some of the kingdom’s treasure but the thing he actually lost was much more valuable… he had lost his Heart.”

Virgil’s eyebrows scrunched, “His heart…?”

“Yeah, Kitten. He lost his Heart.”

“... did it hurt? Losing his heart?”

Roman nodded, “Yes… Yes, it did. It hurt him very much. So the Prince searched far and wide for his missing Heart-”

“Why was the heart so valuable?”

“What, Kitten?”

“Why was the heart so valuable? I know they’re important but… why was it valuable?”

Roman stopped for a moment before speaking once more, “Well… you, see… The Princey… found his Heart outside of his castle one night-” Virgil couldn’t pinpoint why this story sounded like it was hurting Roman to tell or why it was so familiar… like he had lived in it, “and it was perfect to the Prince… It was… beautiful and soft and… the Heart needed protection and the Prince needed a Heart… The Prince loved his Heart very much and his Heart loved him.”

Virgil had to interrupt again, “But if the heart loved the prince, why didn’t it come back…?”

Roman’s voice grew thick, “... It-... It couldn’t... The… evil dragon witch was keeping it from the Prince…”

“... So the prince had to save his heart from a dragon witch?”

“Yes. He had to save his Heart… The Prince started his journey alone but, on the way, he met… an Elf.”

“... An Elf?”

“Yeah, Virgil. An elf, a very tall, kind and wise man with pointed ears-”

“And glasses?”

Virgil froze. He didn’t know where that detail had come from but Roman laughed, a little wet, “Yeah, Kitten… and glasses… and the Elf agreed to help the Prince.”

The door behind Roman opened and he looked over his shoulder. Tension dripped away. Virgil turned to look as another man with lighter hair started fiddling with the stands next to Virgil’s bed. There was a syringe in his hand and Virgil felt himself start to stiffen up until he put it in a small clear tube connected to the hanging bag. A cold feeling started to wash through his body, calming the fire at the end of his nerves. The lighter hair man smiled, “A little better, Virgil?”

Virgil nodded, “... Thank you…”

“Do you remember me?” Virgil shook his head. “Okay. That’s okay. I’m Patton Hart. I was your vet before this.”

“... oh…”

“You can finish your story… Just try and sleep.”

Virgil nodded as Roman took a deep breath, “So there was an Elf helping the Prince,” Virgil nodded again and Roman pressed a kiss to Virgil’s knuckles, “While the Elf and the Prince were traveling, they met a Fairy.”

“... Are fairies good?”

“Fairies are very good, and the Fairy also agreed to help the Prince find his Heart. For the Fairy could see how much his Heart meant to the Prince. So the Prince, the Elf, and the Fairy all went in search of the Heart. They searched for days and days. The Prince was very tired and ready to give up.”

“... Did he…?”

Roman shook his head, hair falling into the emeralds of his eyes, “No. He couldn’t. He knew that his Heart was out there, waiting to be rescued.”

Virgil felt his eyes start to drift close, “Did-... did it get rescued…? Did the Prince save his Heart…?”

Roman’s voice was quiet, “Yeah… he did… The Prince and his friends swept into the Dragon Witch’s lair and stole the Heart back. And the Prince ushered his Heart back to his kingdom. He promised to keep his Heart safe and sound forever,” Roman’s voice softened, “And he kept that promise for the rest of his life… and his Heart was never stolen again… and they lived happily ever after… The end.”

Virgil squeezed Roman’s hand as he started to sink back into unconsciousness, “... Thank you, Ro…”

“Anything for you, Mi Vida…”

There was a soft, warm pressure on Virgil’s forehead and he could barely shift through the small amount of bright memories that he had of Princey-... lips. Roman had kissed his forehead, surrounding Virgil in warmth and safety and the smell of cinnamon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Finals actually tried to kill me and I'm sorry that it's short but... I really like this chapter for how fucking DIFFICULT it was to write!
> 
> Hope you guys like it.
> 
> Love you, Kiddos!


	22. When It Rains

Roman held Virgil’s hand as he slept. He couldn’t bear to pull away from his kitten, not even for a second. His phone vibrated on his lap and he picked it up to answer the texts that he had been ignoring.

** _Message Received from 📚Logan📚_ **

** ** _ What do you want for dinner? _

Roman had to respond to that.

** _Message Sent to 📚Logan📚_ **

** ** _ Anything is fine. Something I can eat with one hand is preferred. _

** _Message Received from 📚Logan📚_ **

** ** _ Of course. I would never ask you to let go of Virgil. Not right now. _

** _Message Sent to 📚Logan📚_ **

** ** _ Thank you, Lo. _

Roman forced himself to click the back button to face the other messages head-on.

** _Message Received from REMUS🐙_ **

** ** _ Hey, I hope everything’s okay at the hospital. You let me know if I need to eat anyone. 😈😈😈 _

** _Message Received from Dolos🎩_ **

** ** _ I wanted to text you to offer support. _

** ** _ And because Remus forced me to.  _

** ** _ But mostly because no one’s heard from you. Let us know if we can do anything. I hope the pain eases soon and that Virgil is safe. _

Roman had to reread Dolos’ message multiple times. He was so weird. Remus’ messages seemed like him but Dolos went from the “I was forced to do this” to  _ I hope the pain eases soon. _ Roman shook his head to clear his thoughts. Virgil’s fingers twitched slightly in Roman’s hand and his gaze snapped to the sleeping hybrid. Virgil’s ears swiveled and Roman let out a breath when he stilled. He looked back down at his phone.

** _Message Received from Laura🧑🏻‍🏭_ **

** ** _ Hey Ro. Just checking in. Tia told me that you couldn’t make it down. Was wondering from what. Love you, Bro. _

Roman let out a breath. He had asked his mom to not tell anyone any details but he knew that as Christmas approached, people would be calling his mother with plans. Of course, his name came up in plans. He responded.

** _Message Sent to Laura🧑🏻‍🏭_ **

** ** _ I can’t make it down… something happened with Virgil. He can’t travel and I’m not leaving him at home. I’ll see you during the summer or something. _

** _Message Received from Laura🧑🏻‍🏭_ **

** ** _ Oh… well, I hope you’re still having Christmas. I think V was really excited about it. _

Roman choked back more tears. Virgil had helped set up the tree in the apartment and watched as Roman plugged in the lights with wide eyes. Virgil was more than excited for Christmas. He didn’t want presents, he just wanted to be around Roman. 

_ “Can I ask you something, Ro?” _

_ “Of course, Honey.” _

_ “... can you not get me anything big for Christmas…?” _

_ Roman turned to look at Virgil with a raised eyebrow, “You don’t want a big Christmas present?” _

_ Virgil shook his head, fiddling with his fingers, “I can’t get you a gift so I don’t-” _

_ Roman laughed, scooping Virgil into his arms, “My gift from you is getting to have you for Christmas. That is the best gift!” _

_ Virgil smiled, wrapping his arms around Roman’s neck, hugging him tightly, “That is my Christmas gift too… I just want to be with you.” _

_ “Always, Kitten, but I want to get you a present. It won’t be big. I promise.” _

It wasn’t a big present. Roman had bought Virgil a box set of classic Disney movies, he had Disney Plus but having a box set was a different feeling entirely (Roman also snuck in a box set of the Lord of the Rings books, Virgil had eaten up every book in the apartment). It didn’t matter now. Virgil didn’t even remember reading Logan’s  _ Night's Dawn Trilogy _ or watching Doctor Who or sleeping on Roman’s lap. Roman blinked hard. He couldn’t think about that now. He would start crying. He was sick and tired of crying. Virgil was still sleeping calmly, his mind keeping him safe in a dreamland. Roman could only hope that something about him was sticking to Virgil’s subconscious.

Roman leaned back in his chair, squeezing Virgil’s hand gently. A few bruises had faded from the skin on Virgil’s arms, a sickeningly dark purple to pale yellow. It wasn’t pretty but it was better than the blues and purples from the beginning of last week. Roman let out a breath. He glanced at Virgil before shaking his head, “Okay, Kitten… you take your time remembering me… I’m not going anywhere.”

Logan brought in a bag from McDonald's with a tiny smile, “I got Virgil an order of chicken nuggets if he wants them.”

Roman smiled, “Thank you, Lo. You know, you can go home, right?”

“I’ll go back to the apartment when you and Virgil are home with me.”

“Christmas-”

“With you. I’ve already called my father, he’s aware and he’s lengthened his stay in Paris.”

Roman let out a breath, “You could be going to Paris for Christmas with your dad and you’re going to sit in this depressing-”

Logan shook his head, “I’m not leaving you alone to sit next to your hybrid, who doesn’t remember you.”

Roman looked at Logan, his closest friend, and felt a smile bite at his lips, “Thanks, Lo.”

“Of course.”

Virgil was silent as he slept and Roman ate. Logan stood, brushing off his pants before looking at Roman, “I’m going to head home for a bit. Do you want me to grab anything? A book? Your laptop?”

Roman looked up at Logan, “I- my laptop and the… fairy tale book.”

Logan nodded and put a hand on Roman’s shoulder before leaving the room. Roman glanced over at Virgil, whose ear twitched at the sound of the door closing. Roman could almost imagine Virgil opening his mismatched eyes and reaching for him,  _ Ro _ on the tip of his tongue and Roman would finally have a chance to apologize profusely for letting Warren Hale put a hand on Virgil. Roman wanted to cut off his own hand in repentance. He would if it meant that Virgil would wake up with the fear and confusion drained from his system. He deserved to be happy and curious about the world. Roman took Virgil’s hand in his, tracing small patterns in the skin. 

It was silent in the hospital room until Logan returned, handing Roman his laptop bag and the fairy tale book. Roman looked at the book for a moment before picking it up and flipping through the pages. “Once upon a time in midwinter, when the snowflakes were falling like feathers from heaven, a queen sat sewing at her window, which had a frame of black ebony wood. As she sewed she looked up at the snow and pricked her finger with her needle. Three drops of blood fell into the snow. The red on the white looked so beautiful that she thought to herself, "If only I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood in this frame.”

Virgil could hear something start around him, “Once upon a time…”

He was in the apartment again. He usually was when he was dreaming but, usually, there was no other sounds, definitely not a story. Virgil sat up from the couch and looked around. The apartment was the same as it always had been. The tv was off, the bookshelf was filled with the usual books, some of the titles finally became clearer after a while. A few science fiction books that Virgil could recall some chapter titles in, fictional books that read like fairy tales that Virgil’s heart grew light at. He pushed off of the couch and slowly started to wander the apartment once more. He had never dared to enter the bedrooms. One was filled to the brim with charts of stars and books but the other… Virgil stared at the door for a long time, trying to will himself to open the door. He put a hand on the doorknob and twisted. 

The room was a little messy, a few pieces of clothing strewn here and there. Posters lined the walls, along with fairy lights and pictures of other people. Virgil took one off of the clips and stared at the picture. It was a group of people. Roman was sitting on the couch with Patton and Logan and…  _ Virgil?  _ It looked like Virgil, except happy and healthy. He was wrapped in a red hoodie and nuzzled up into Roman’s chest. Virgil blinked at the smile on his own face. He was  _ happy?  _ Why was he so happy curled up with Roman’s arms wrapped around him? His head was starting to pound again. Everything was starting to blur together.

Roman closed his book as Logan left the room, tapping his fingers on the cover to try and stop the tears that were starting to build in his eyes. He had finished Snow White but… Virgil hadn’t even shifted in his sleep. That had been the point. The fairy tales were supposed to help Virgil sleep. Roman didn’t know why it hurt so much. He took a deep breath, wiping at his cheeks before looking back up at Virgil. His ears twitched slightly until he slowly blinked awake. Tears were flooding his eyes. Roman sat up immediately, “Virgil, Virgil! What’s wrong?”

Virgil looked over at him, mismatched eyes wide and wet, “... R-...  _ Ro…?” _

Roman squeezed Virgil’s hand, “Yeah, it’s me. I haven't left-”

Virgil shook his head, tugging at Roman’s hand weakly, “ _ Ro. Ro… _ ”

“... What? What do you need? Morphine? Food? Water-?”

“I need-... I need  _ you…  _ Roman, I remember…  _ please…” _

Roman’s heart dropped in his chest. It felt like a thousand weights being lifted off of his shoulder, “Oh my God…! Virgil, Kitten, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Roman’s hands cupped Virgil’s cheek as he took a seat on the edge of the mattress, “I’m so sorry that he ever laid a hand on you again. I should’ve never let you out of my sight. I’ll never do it again. I’ll never leave your side again. I swear. I promise.”

Virgil sobbed, clinging onto the front of Roman’s shirt as Roman started rambling on. Tears dripped down his cheeks as he dragged Roman to the mattress beside him, shoving his face into his chest. Roman couldn’t fight against Virgil’s weak grip, he didn’t want to anyway. It fell silent for a moment as Virgil cried away the ache in his heart. Roman pressed his lips to Virgil’s temple, “Kitten… I will never ever let anyone lay a hand on you again. I won’t… I won’t… I’d rather cut off my own hand…”

Virgil’s hands tightened in Roman’s shirt. Virgil was starting to drift away, too much crying and too much morphine to stay awake. Virgil’s voice was weak and breaking as he spoke, “Don’t-... don’t leave me… please…”

Roman shook his head, “Never. Never, Kitten. I wouldn’t.”

Roman listened as Virgil fell asleep, tears had stopped hitting the pillow below their heads. He wouldn’t leave the bed now. He was pressed against the side rails of the bed, uncomfortable and cramped, but Virgil had a hand twisted in Roman’s shirt and his hoodie over his shoulder. There was nothing that could move Roman from that bed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry. Holidays and stuff just built up but I'm back with a new chapter!
> 
> Hope everybody had a good holiday and a wonderful new year!
> 
> Love you guys and hope you like this new chapter.


	23. It Pours

Roman knew that the quiet that blanketed over the hospital room was a good sign. Virgil was sleeping peacefully, a few hiccups here and there from his crying spell but that was it. Roman gently eased a hand through Virgil’s hair, watching as his ear twitched. He didn’t know when the hybrid would wake up but it didn’t matter. Virgil’s arms had wrapped around Roman’s torso, pressing himself closer. The softness of Virgil’s hair had faded away, leaving it feeling coarse and dirty. It didn’t matter much in Roman’s mind. They would be home as soon as Virgil felt better and he could make sure that Virgil’s hair and fur returned to the silky soft that it had been before he disappeared from Roman’s room. 

Virgil twitched in Roman’s embrace as the door opened and Roman lifted his head. Logan was staring at him, phone to his ear, “What-”

Roman smiled for the first time in days, “He remembers… He knows who I am.”

Logan’s eyes widened, “Roman… That’s… amazing.”

“Who are you on the phone with?”

“Patton, he had to step away for a bit. I’ll update him on what’s going on,” Logan let out a relieved breath, “Roman-”

Roman nodded, “I know.”

Roman returned to his original position, holding Virgil close to him. He could hear Logan speaking quietly on the phone as Logan returned to his seat, “Yes, mon amour… Virgil is just fine. … It’s funny that you ask about him. He remembers Roman…”

The smile that pulled at Logan’s lips and the muffled, excited screams from the phone made Roman laugh. Virgil startled awake and Roman cursed himself, “Kitten, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Just go back to sleep.”

Virgil rubbed at his eyes and slowly looked over his shoulder. Logan’s smile grew soft, “Good morning, Virgil.”

“... Logan…?”

“It’s me.”

Roman watched carefully as Virgil gave a tiny smile, “... hi.”

“Hello. Do you remember me?”

Virgil nodded and lifted his head as Roman started to feel that familiar protectiveness curl in his chest, “No. Kitten, lay back down-”

“Where’s Patton…?”

Roman sighed, “He’s at work, Kitten. You’re in a hospital. Please, lay back down.”

Virgil looked back over at his owner, “Hospital? Why was I-?  _ Oh.” _

Roman’s stomach twisted as Virgil’s eyes filled with tears. He sat up, wiping the beginnings of wetness from his hybrid’s eyes, “Virgil, Virgil, I am so sorry. I’m so so  _ so sorry.  _ He’ll never touch you again. I swear. He’d have to kill me.”

Virgil choked on a weak sob, “You looked for me, right…?”

“Every fucking day, Virgil. Every day… I didn’t stop looking. I couldn’t. Not while you were out there…”

Virgil’s hands were in tight fists against Roman’s chest. He sniffled, “You aren’t getting up?”

“No. No. Not if you don’t want me to. Do you want me to get off?”

Virgil shook his head, “No. No. He-... he broke my license, Roman,” Virgil’s voice broke as he started to sob, “ _ He broke it! I didn’t have anything to remember you-!” _

Roman shushed his cries gently, “It’s okay. We can get you a new license…”

“... Do you still want me…?”

“Of course! Why would you think that I didn’t?”

Virgil’s hands trembled in Roman’s shirt, “I-... I disappeared… I didn’t- I couldn’t-... Roman, I’m so broken…”

“I don’t care. I don’t, Virgil. I helped last time. Right? Remember? You trusted me and-”

“You made everything better…”

Roman smiled as Virgil tugged him a bit closer, “I swear I’ll make everything better again. I will. That’s a Prince Promise. That’s not able to be broken. Mamá will be so happy that you’re awake.”

“... Did we miss Christmas…?”

Roman let out a breath, he knew this question was coming, “It’s the 23rd… you won’t be out of the hospital until the 28th… but we can have Christmas and then when we get out of here, we can fly to Florida. Do you want to go? Mamá would love to see you.”

Virgil nodded, voice weak, “I’m sorry I forgot you…”

“Oh, Gatito, I don’t care… you remember now.”

“But I didn’t-”

Roman shushed him gently, “It’s okay… are you hungry, Kitten? We can get you some food.”

Virgil nodded.

Virgil watched as Roman ordered food from his cell phone. His mind was still a little fuzzy but that was his owner, Roman Prince. Virgil wanted him to stay close but the bed, the stupid hospital bed, felt too small to share with Roman. Roman turned and met Virgil’s gaze with a blinding smile. How had he ever forgotten that smile? Or replaced him with a character in his head? Virgil gave a weak smile back and Roman glanced at the IV stand next to his bed. Virgil shook his head. He didn’t want more morphine. He wanted to stay awake and eat something and listen to Roman talk. There was a little voice in his head that whispered that Roman would just get him the morphine anyway but Roman just smiled and nodded, going back to the phone call. It took one more moment before he was hanging up and turning back to face Virgil, “Alright. Food is on the way.”

Virgil nodded with a small smile, “Thank you, Ro…”

Roman grinned, sitting on the edge of the bed, “I’ve missed that, Kitten. You’ve been so far away.”

Virgil gripped Roman’s hand, “I’m sorry… I didn’t-... I tried so hard to remember you.”

Roman gently squeezed Virgil’s hand, rubbing his thumb against Virgil’s knuckles, “I know… I know, Gatito. It doesn’t matter. You’re back now. I’ve got you,” Virgil tugged Roman closer to him, who chuckled softly, “You want me close?”

Virgil nodded again, “You said that I was far away… I felt it… I need you close.”

Roman smiled, “Okay. I’ll stay close. I’ll stay right here. Yeah?”

Virgil had to respond with his own smile, no matter how weak it was. Roman lifted a hand, brushing hair from Virgil’s face. Virgil let out a shaky breath, pushing into Roman’s hand, “Can-... can you please lay down with me… after we eat? I just-... I missed you.”

“Of course, Kitten. I just ordered you some egg drop soup from that place down the road. It’ll help your stomach settle.”

Virgil smiled. He felt like purring. It had been so long since he felt safe enough to do that. Roman’s hand carded through his hair as Logan leaned over, murmuring something in his ear and he looked up and nodded. He fished something out of his back pocket, handing it to Logan behind his back. Virgil watched carefully as Logan left the room, “Where’s he going…?”

“Pay for our food.”

“Oh.”

“I know you’re tired-” Virgil shook his head and Roman raised an eyebrow, “I know you’re tired but we’ll get you fed and a little bit more morphine and you’ll sleep like a rock.”

“Will you be with me?”

“Every single second. I promised that I would lay down with you and I’m keeping that promise. Hell, once I get you home, I’m never leaving bed unless you’re by my side. I’m never letting anyone lay a hand on you ever again.”

Virgil smiled, letting Roman ramble off into oblivion, his hand gently brushing back the mess of Virgil’s hair, fingertips dragging against his ears once in a while. It was nice to be pampered like this once more. It seemed like Roman didn’t want to take a hand off of him. Virgil’s chest swelled and grew warm at the thought. He could’ve fallen asleep right then and there, listening to the constant stream of syllables that dripped from Roman’s lips. Virgil tightened his hand in Roman’s shirt, “Roman…”

“And I- What? What is it?”

“I love you…”

Roman blinked and smiled, “I love you too, Kitten. Always.”

Virgil bit back a noise of frustration. He had meant it in a different way than Roman had taken it but… it helped. His chest felt a little lighter. It was a few minutes before Logan returned with a styrofoam cup and a bag. Roman helped him sit up and take the cup in his hands, offering a spoon when Virgil finally got comfortable. The soup warmed his stomach and soothed his throat. He finally felt like he was dragging himself out of a hole again. Virgil knew that he wouldn’t feel safe alone or in any loud place for a very long time but Roman was sitting right there, eating out of a takeout container. Logan was reading on the couch nearby. Virgil squinted at the title page, “Logan, what are you reading?”

Logan looked up, “It’s called  _ The Forever War. _ ”

“Oh. … Will you-?”

“Read it?”

Virgil nodded with warm cheeks, “Please?”

Logan hummed, crossing his legs, “Tonight we’re going to show you eight silent ways to kill a man.” The guy who said that was a sergeant who didn’t look five years older than me. So if he’d ever killed a man in combat, silently or otherwise, he’d done it as an infant.

“I already knew eighty ways to kill people, but most of them were pretty noisy. I sat up straight in my chair and assumed a look of polite attention and fell asleep with my eyes open. So did most everybody else. We’d learned that they never scheduled anything important for these after-chop classes.”

Roman took Virgil’s empty cup, throwing it away before he joined his hybrid on the bed. Virgil looked over his shoulder and let Roman slowly wrap his arms around his waist, kissing Virgil’s temple as Logan kept reading, “The projector woke me up and I sat through a short tape showing the “eight silent ways.” Some of the actors must have been brain-wipes since they were actually killed.

“After the tape, a girl in the front row raised her hand. The sergeant nodded at her and she rose to parade rest. Not bad looking, but kind of chunky about the neck and shoulders. Everybody gets that way after carrying a heavy pack around for a couple of months.

“Sir”—we had to call sergeants “sir” until graduation—“most of those methods, really, they looked…kind of silly.”

“For instance?”

“Like killing a man with a blow to the kidneys, from an entrenching tool. I mean, when would you actually have only an entrenching tool, and no gun or knife? And why not just bash him over the head with it?”

“He might have a helmet on,” he said reasonably.”

Virgil nuzzled into Roman’s embrace, letting Logan’s voice wash over him. Roman’s hand was in his hair again, warm and solid and safe. Virgil let out a slow breath, closing his eyes as Roman’s hand kept running through his hair. His chest had loosened considerably within Roman’s arms. Roman’s lips brushed against the tip of his ear, causing it to twitch a bit before Virgil relaxed once more. Logan’s voice was calming and Roman was warm against Virgil’s back as he slowly started to drift off. 

Patton was pretty sure that he was going to burst a blood vessel if he didn’t make it to the hospital. He signed out of work early, apologizing to Drew profusely, and ran to the hospital. The scene that awaited him in Virgil’s room was nearly heartbreaking. Roman had Virgil tucked against his chest as the hybrid slept peacefully. Roman looked like he was asleep as well but Logan was wide awake, book in his lap. He smiled, “My love. What are you doing here?”

“I wanted-... I wanted to see Virgil.”

“He was awake for a while but Roman and he fell asleep after they both ate. I promise that he does remember us. He asked where you were.”

Patton couldn’t hold back a pout, “I told you that I should’ve taken the day off.”

Logan chuckled, putting his book to the side as Patton climbed into his lap. Logan kissed Patton’s temple softly, “You need this job and you love it.”

Patton leaned into Logan’s chest, solid and warm, “How did your dad take not sending a plane over to get you for Christmas?”

Logan hummed, “He was fine with it. He understood why. He offered to send a ticket for Roman until I explained what happened. … He wants to pay for Virgil’s hospital bills.”

Patton blinked, “He… He wants to what?”

“Pay for all of Virgil’s medical expenses. He knows that Roman is important to me.”

Patton took a deep breath, “Well, that’s very kind of him… You should ask Roman before you give him the all-clear. You know how Roman gets sometimes.”

Logan nodded, “I know.”

Patton rested his head on Logan’s shoulder, looking over at the two on the hospital bed. Roman had to be cramped on the small bed. His shoulders were hunched over as he held Virgil. Patton knew that Roman wouldn’t be anywhere else. Virgil was sleeping peacefully in Roman’s embrace. The bandage had been removed from his ear. His leg was still in a thick cast and one of his wrists had a brace on it. He would be able to get out of the hospital within the week if his outer appearance was anything to go by. Patton knew that Roman would be bringing Virgil to him for routine checkups. He would be too nervous to let Virgil’s body struggle through the healing process alone. Patton let out a slow breath, closing his eyes as Logan’s arms tightened around his waist. He could afford a nap.

“Patton? … Patton.”

Patton blinked awake at his name being called by a quiet voice. It wasn’t weak, just tired and quiet. He looked over and smiled brightly, “Virgil! Hey, Honey. Do you remember me?”

Virgil nodded and Patton took a moment to just look. Virgil was sitting up, already gaining strength. Something about seeing him sitting up, even just leaning up against pillows, made Patton’s heart loosen.  _ Wait. Where’s-  _ “Virgil, where’s Roman?”

Virgil gestured to the closed bathroom door, “He had to take a shower.”

“Do you want anything from the apartment?”

Virgil shook his head, “No. I don’t want anything from home.”

_ Home. _ Patton let out a breath. Virgil still called the apartment his home. Maybe he wasn’t as shattered as Patton had feared. There was a loud crash outside of the closed door and Virgil jumped, pushing away from the door to the hallway and the bathroom door opened. Roman looked around, dressed in clean clothes. Virgil looked up as Roman embraced him easily, “It’s okay, Virgil. We’re safe.”

Virgil clung onto Roman’s shirt, Patton watched as his knuckles turned white against Roman’s red shirt. Roman turned, blocking Virgil from the door. His hand cradled the back of Virgil’s head as he murmured quietly to the hybrid. Patton let out a breath as Virgil slowly relaxed in Roman’s embrace. He never should’ve been nervous that Virgil wouldn’t trust Roman after what had happened. Roman glanced up at Patton with a small smile and Patton couldn’t help but offer his own as Virgil pulled away from Roman’s chest, “S-sorry.”

“No, Kitten. It’s okay. Don’t apologize.”

Roman’s lips brushed against the tip of Virgil’s ear, the muscle twitching as soon as skin met fur. Patton fought back a giggle as he saw the pink tint grow on Virgil’s cheekbones. It seemed as though the hybrid was in the same situation that Roman was. Virgil glanced over at Patton, ears swiveling at the quiet huff of air. Patton froze. He had forgotten how sensitive Virgil’s hearing was. Patton raised an eyebrow, glancing up at Roman before back down at Virgil with a secret smile. Virgil’s eyes went wide and he clutched onto Roman’s shirt as his owner tried to get up, “Virgil? Are you okay?”

“What- oh. I- I’m fine.”

Virgil seemed to have to pry himself from Roman’s shirt. Patton chuckled under his breath as Roman eased Virgil back into his pillows, unaware of the pink that was staining his hybrid’s cheeks. Patton leaned over, patting Virgil’s hand as Roman started tidying up the room. Virgil gripped his hand. Patton waited for Roman to leave the room, watched as Roman kissed his temple once more, before speaking, “Virgil-”

“You can’t tell Roman!”

“Oh. Honey, I would never!”

Virgil’s cheeks were red and he looked close to crying, “He’ll-... He won’t get rid of me, right?”

“No, Virgil. He would never.”

“I didn’t-... I didn’t mean to fall for him- I didn’t!”

Patton stalled. He hadn’t expected a confession right off the bat but Virgil looked nervous and he eased a hand down his arm, “I won’t tell him.”

“You won’t?”

“No.”

Patton wouldn't tell Roman anything, he would just provide a helpful little nudge in the right direction. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strange Turn. 
> 
> I actually had angst planned but I think... we're good for now. Lol
> 
> I love you guys and thank you for being so patient with slower updates.
> 
> I do need to ask you guys if you would support me on patreon if I had one. No pressure. Just wondering. I am a struggling college student so I'm looking for jobs and ways to support myself. Don't be afraid to say no! I understand how money works!


	24. Christmas Time In The Hospital

Virgil woke up to gentle pressure on his ear and a quiet voice, “Kitten, it’s time to wake up…”

Virgil slowly opened his eyes, looking up at Roman, “... what…? It’s still dark out, Ro…”

Roman smiled, “Yeah, it is but it’s Christmas.”

Virgil’s eyebrows scrunched up as Roman’s grin grew blinding, “Christmas…?”

“Yeah! C’mon. I’ve got your presents.”

Virgil slowly sat up, rubbing at his eyes as Roman retrieved a few colorfully wrapped gifts from the doorway. Logan and Patton were already sitting in the chairs as Roman dumped the gifts onto the foot of Virgil’s bed and a purple and black… sock? The sock was placed along with a light blue one, a dark blue, and a red and gold sock. Virgil’s eyebrows raised, “What is this…?”

Roman smiled, “Don’t worry. I know you didn’t want anything big or too much. I bought you a stocking.”

“Stocking…?”

“Yeah. They’re the weird sock things but they’re used to hold little presents.”

“Little presents?”

“You’ll see but we’re doing stockings last. Here, Kitten. This one is yours and you get to open it first.”

Virgil took the present that Roman handed him, wrapped in blue and silver wrapping paper. Patton was smiling and jumping in his seat as Virgil looked up at him, “That’s from me.”

Virgil opened it slowly, revealing a white box. Virgil slowly opened the box and smiled. It was a scarf, black and purple, ridiculously soft underneath his fingertips. Virgil draped it around his neck and he let out a small breath, “Thank you, Patton.”

The scarf was warm as Logan opened a new book from Roman and Patton received a new sweater from Logan. Roman opened the package that Logan handed him, “My father thought that you might enjoy this.”

Roman fished the book out of the bag and Virgil’s ears twitched as Roman’s breath caught, “... oh… whoa. Thanks, Lo.”

Virgil tilted his head to get a better look before Roman chuckled and sat beside him on the hospital bed, letting him see the title of the book,  _ The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.  _ Virgil could remember learning a little about Shakespeare just from listening to Roman. He was a playwright, one of Roman’s favorites. Roman flipped through a few pages, letting Virgil glance at the words at a snail’s pace. Roman smiled brilliantly, “Really, thank you, Logan!”

There were a few more presents that were passed around, Virgil was gifted  _ The Lord of the Rings  _ books and a box set of Disney movies from Roman. He felt so blessed, even as Roman set the stocking in front of him. It was full of treats and small gifts, beanies, gloves, socks. Virgil was almost positive that Roman wanted to keep him swaddled in as much warmth as the world would allow him. Logan had even given him a new blanket, heavier than the usual quilts that lay on Roman’s bed. Virgil looked up at Logan with a raised eyebrow until the taller man explained, “It’s a weighted blanket for whenever Roman has to leave. It helps with stress and anxiety.”

Virgil tried not to cry. He wanted to but no tears came. His cheeks felt like they were about to split in two with how much he was smiling. Roman eased a hand across one of Virgil’s ears as Patton turned on a movie, “Merry Christmas, Kitten…”

Virgil cuddled into Roman’s chest, trying to keep off of the aching bones, “Merry Christmas, Roman… Thank you… for everything.”

Roman’s voice was quiet as he spoke, trying not to disturb Patton and Logan’s movie, “I’m sorry that I couldn’t get you home for Christmas.”

Virgil shook his head, gripping Roman’s shirt, speaking just as quietly, “Don’t be sorry… I am home…”

“What do you mean?”

Virgil smiled to himself, resting his head on Roman’s shoulder, “You… Patton, Logan… you are all my home… but mostly just you.”

Roman froze before his arm tightened around Virgil’s shoulders, “Oh… you’re my home too, Virgil…”

Virgil’s smile grew and his cheeks started to hurt again. Roman’s embrace was warm and welcoming. Virgil could’ve fallen asleep then and there before Roman jostled him a little, “Hey… I got you one more present.”

Virgil shook his head, pulling away from the embrace, “Roman, you already got me-!”

“Shh. I promise, I wanted to get you all of these presents but this one is my favorite.”

Virgil waited carefully as Roman stooped down to pick something off of the ground.

Roman knew that Virgil was trying to look over his shoulder to see the gift that he was picking up. Roman put a hand back on Virgil’s thigh to keep him from moving too much. Virgil muttered under his breath, obviously complaining. Roman chuckled, leaning back up to press a kiss to Virgil’s temple, “Patience, Kitten.”

Virgil made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded like another complaint before Roman offered the black box to him. Virgil blinked at it before taking the box in his hands. Roman watched as Virgil ran his fingertips along the velvet on the outside of the box. He had probably never felt anything like it before. Roman smiled softly. Virgil was slowly becoming more and more alive, smiling and reaching for Roman constantly. Virgil opened the box and his eyes immediately filled with tears, growing glossy, “Ro…”

Roman reached over, fishing the silver chain from the box. Virgil took the tag in his hand, dropping the box to the bed. Roman couldn’t stop the smile on his face from growing, “I know you said that you didn’t want anything big but… this was definitely needed.”

Virgil nodded, tears starting to drip from his eyes, “Y-... yeah… It was.”

“Here. Let me, Gatito.”

Virgil allowed Roman to pull the chain from his hands, gently sliding it over his ears to around his neck. Virgil immediately picked up the dog tag to run his fingers over the carvings. Roman slid a bit closer, letting the hybrid relax into his chest. He glanced down as Virgil passed his thumb over the printed tag. 

_ Virgil Prince _

_ 100 W 31st St, New York, NY 10001 _

_ 646-232-9225 _

Roman pressed a kiss to the top of Virgil’s head, listening as he sniffled. Roman rubbed circles in Virgil’s back as he pressed the flat piece of metal to his chest and clung onto his shirt. The sight of tears on Virgil’s cheek caused Roman’s stomach to turn. He knew that they were happy tears. Virgil probably thought that he would never get this chance again, to wear a license around his neck, inscribed with all the information that he ever needed. Virgil cuddled closer into Roman’s chest and Roman tightened his grip around him. All Roman wanted to do was keep the hybrid in his arms safe. He didn’t know how he would do it. Warren was on the run. The police had collected what little information from Roman’s and Patton’s research and went after him. He was in the wind. Roman’s chest went tight at even the thought of Warren getting within ten yards of Virgil.

Virgil started to nod off once the tears on his cheeks dried, hand gripping onto the fabric of Roman’s shirt. Roman slowly laid Virgil onto the mattress, lifting the hybrid’s hand away from his shirt. Roman glanced at the heart monitor, watching as the green line moved up and down with each pulse of Virgil’s heart. It helped him breathe a bit easier. Patton looked over at him as Roman slumped into a chair to watch the movie, “Really?”

Roman glanced over at the vet, “What?”

“You’re not going to lay down with Virgil?”

Roman sighed, “I take up half of that bed, he needs a moment to lay by himself to heal properly,” He glanced over his shoulder as Virgil turned in his sleep, “His body needs a moment without me hovering over him.”

Patton smiled, “You think that he hates you hovering? I haven’t seen a recovery this fast…  _ ever. _ Virgil feels safer with you hovering.”

Roman chuckled quietly, “He probably does but his body needs to stretch out, his poor back has to be killing him.”

“You know, when you get him home, he’ll stretch out on your bed.”

“That’s all I want him to do. I won’t ever ask him to get up again.”

Patton giggled, leaning into Logan’s chest, “Why don’t you treat me like that, Handsome?”

Logan’s voice was sincere and kind, “Because you love your job and you love the outside world.”

Patton hummed, “You’re right about that. Roman! You can show Virgil the snow!”

Roman sat up straight. He had forgotten about the fresh layer of snow that littered the streets of New York. Virgil would love it, he was almost positive. The hybrid might think it was a bit cold to play in it but once he got warmed up, Roman was sure that Virgil would think it was beautiful. Roman ran his thumb over Virgil’s knuckles, holding the hybrid’s hand as he slept. Christmas was almost over and Roman’s heart was still a little heavy. Virgil should’ve spent his first Christmas with Roman in their apartment or in Florida with his family. Roman jumped as his phone started ringing and he answered it without looking at the caller ID, “Hello?”

_ “Merry Christmas, Pequeño.” _

“Oh, Mamá. Merry Christmas!”

_ “How’s Virgil? Is he awake? We wanted to say Merry Christmas.” _

Roman glanced over at Virgil, the hybrid’s hand was wrapped around his new license, “He’s sleeping, Mamá, but I’ll tell him that you called. He really wants to see you. Maybe-”

_ “When does he get out of the hospital? We’ll buy the tickets and you and he can come home for a short while. It won’t be long, I know school will be starting-” _

“I don’t care. He gets out on the 28th. I’ll take a week off of school just to let Virgil have some normalcy. He’s been stuck in his own personal hell for weeks and then in the hospital… I just want to be close for a little while before having to start school again.”

Maria hummed softly over the phone and Roman felt his chest start to loosen,  _ “There’s a flight going out on the tenth that’s relatively cheap for two tickets.” _

“The tenth?”

_ “Yep. Does that sound okay to you?” _

“That sounds perfect, Mamá… I can’t thank you enough.”

_ “There’s no need to thank me, Honey. You just keep that little kitten safe.” _

Roman smiled, “I will, Mom. Tell Papá that I love him.”

_ “I will. I love you, Little Prince.” _

“I love you too.”

Patton looked over, “The tenth of January?”

“Yeah. I know school starts on the 20th but I’ll email my professors and the school. I only have one more semester. I can miss a week to take care of Virgil.”

Patton smiled, “I’m sure you can. You’ll be going back to Florida?”

“Only for a visit. I want to keep Virgil as comfortable as possible and I don’t know if he can heal properly in a place that isn’t as familiar as the apartment is. A little bit of healing at the apartment and then a little bit in Florida with my mom’s home cooking. That’ll be… good for him… right, Patt?”

Patton nodded immediately, “If I could prescribe Maria Prince for all of my patients, I would be handing out those prescriptions out like candy.”

Roman laughed, “My mother can cure most illnesses.”

Logan smiled, “Maria Prince is a force to be reckoned with that any illness or slow healing should watch out for.”

“... I like her…”

Roman looked over at smiled as Virgil adjusted himself in bed, still a little sleepy, “I know, Kitten. Why aren’t you still asleep?”

Virgil shrugged, stretching slightly. Roman watched for any winces but all he got was a quiet sigh as Virgil relaxed back into his pillows. Something in Roman’s chest fully loosened at the sight of Virgil relaxing, a sleepy smile pulling at his lips as he squeezed Roman’s hand. Roman lifted the hybrid’s hand to his lips, kissing his knuckles. Virgil giggled at the sensation and Roman couldn’t fight the smile that rose to his lips at the sound. Virgil tugged at his hand, “Why aren’t you laying down anymore?”

“You need to stretch out. Your poor back must be aching with me taking up all your room.” 

Virgil huffed, “Fine… When we get home-”

“I’ll lay with you all day. I promise.”

“... And…?”

“We can read stories and you can eat and sleep,” Roman leans forward to kiss Virgil’s forehead, “We’re going to be so lazy until you can move around without hurting.”

Virgil wrapped his arms around Roman’s shoulders, smiling all the while, “Okay. That does sound nice.”

Roman chuckled and tried to pull away from his embrace and froze when Virgil’s grip didn’t loosen, “... Kitten?”

“No.”

Roman laughed and gently eased himself onto the mattress next to Virgil, letting the hybrid cuddle up against his chest once more. Roman stroked Virgil’s ear, “... I hope you had a good Christmas, Gatito.”

Virgil nodded, “I did… Thank you for the new license, Roman…”

“Oh, Kitten… I couldn’t get you home without a new one. You loved your old one and I’m sorry it was broken…”

Virgil shook his head, “If I have you, I don’t care about having a license or not…”

Roman smiled, tightening his grip around Virgil, “Then you will always have me… I promise.”

Virgil smiled up at Roman before he relaxed into his owner’s embrace. Roman turned his attention back to the movie playing on the television. He knew that Virgil would be asleep again soon, safe and protected in his arms. Roman closed his eyes, nuzzling into Virgil’s dark hair. He wouldn’t be falling asleep but holding Virgil like this made his chest loosen and it felt like he could breathe easier. Roman murmured against Virgil’s hair once his breathing had slowed as he slipped into unconsciousness, “I love you, Kitten…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate this chapter but it was time for me to update and it did what I needed it to!
> 
> I love you all and I hope you guys like the chapter.


	25. Kitten, It's Cold Outside

Roman watched as a doctor and Patton checked over Virgil. Patton had woken him up and moved him onto a chair. Virgil whined as his source of warmth was taken away but he let Roman take his hand as a doctor walked in with a chart.  _ Let.  _ Virgil was clinging to him as the doctor started going over Virgil’s injuries with a fine-tooth comb. The doctor slowly undid the bandages around Virgil’s ankle, checking on what used to be rubbed-raw skin. It was healing, slowly and steadily. The doctor smiled over at Roman, “This looks very good, Mr. Prince. I do want Virgil to have a slow reintroduction to walking.”

Roman nodded, “How slow?”

“A lap around the bedroom is perfect for the first day. When he’s steady and strong enough to venture into other places in your home, he can start moving outside of the room without support. Until then, I do want someone to be by his side in case he falls or gets weak.” 

Roman nodded again, “I’ll do that. Thank you, Doctor.”

Virgil spoke quietly, squeezing Roman’s hand, “When do I get to leave?”

The doctor smiled gently, checking her chart for a moment before looking at Patton, “As soon as your vet clears you, Honey.”

Patton grinned, “He looks good to me. I’ll do any paperwork and, Roman, you’ll have to bring Virgil in for checkups.”

Roman grinned, “Obviously.”

The doctor’s smile grew, “Well! Dr. Hart and I will finish up any paperwork while you get Virgil ready to go. It’s cold out. Bundle up.”

Virgil stared at the door as the doctor and Patton left. The room fell silent for a few moments before the hybrid’s gaze snapped to his owner. Roman smiled. Virgil’s mismatched eyes were wide, catching the lights of the hospital, before he spoke, “Am-... Am I going home?”

Roman chuckled, “Yeah. That’s what that means, Kitten.”

Virgil’s eyes filled with tears and Roman felt his heart drop. His mind raced to procure an idea about why Virgil would be crying-  _ maybe he doesn’t feel safe at the apartment anymore- _ until Virgil truly  _ beamed _ . It was rare that Roman got to see Virgil’s big smile, the one that revealed his teeth, but it was even rarer that he got to see the hybrid’s slightly pointed canines. Roman’s heart leapt into his throat and he grinned, “It’s very good, Kitten. Let’s get you into your clothes.”

Roman helped Virgil tug off the hospital gown and let the hybrid pull on his own clothes. Clothes that Logan had retrieved from the apartment. Roman could barely contain his smile when he saw his kitten wrapped in his own jacket, the black and purple cloth swamping his form once more. Virgil tugged a beanie low over his ears as Roman tied his shoes. Virgil looked down and tapped his ankle brace against the floor, “When do I get this off?”

“When your leg is healed.”

“How long will that take?”

“A few more weeks, Kitten.”

“Will it hurt when I get it off?”

Roman smiled up at Virgil, “Curious kitty. Haven’t you ever heard the saying?”

Virgil shook his head with a smile. Roman couldn’t find any annoyance in his system at the questions. Virgil was sitting up, dressed in his own clothes, tail tip twitching against the hospital bed. He was just glad that the doctors had taken off that stupid cast, replacing the clunky plaster with a lighter brace when his bone had healed. Roman leaned up, pressing his lips to Virgil’s forehead. Virgil nuzzled a little closer, pressing his nose to Roman’s collarbone, “What’s the saying?”

Roman chuckled, “The saying is, ‘curiosity killed the cat’.”

Virgil pulled away to look up at Roman, he had to choke back his snort at the offended look on his hybrid’s face, “Nothing’s gonna kill me. Not while you’re around.”

Roman smiled, “That’s right. Especially not your curiosity. I love your questions.”

Roman scooped Virgil into his arms, holding him to his chest. He never wanted to let go again. Virgil pressed his face into his owner’s neck. Roman adjusted his grip on Virgil, tucking the hybrid closer to his chest. Virgil looked around the hospital from the safety of Roman’s arms. Roman could see the curiosity blooming in his eyes as he looked around. Patton giggled when he made eye contact with the pair, “How’s being out of bed, Virgil?”

Virgil looked over at Patton with bright eyes, “Good.”

“That’s good, Buddy! How do you feel about going home?”

Virgil nodded quickly, his beanie twitched, “Good! I can’t wait to eat some food.”

Patton giggled, “Honey, we’ve been feeding you.”

“I mean  _ good  _ food!”

“Oh. Is Roman’s food good food?”

Virgil nodded and Roman chuckled, “That’s a compliment, Kitten. Thank you.”

Virgil nodded again, looking around once more. Roman watched as Patton reached up and fidgeted with the purple and black scarf that hung around Virgil’s neck. Virgil looked over at Patton and grinned softly. Roman’s heart felt ridiculously full as Virgil continued to look around the front waiting room of the hospital as they waited for Logan to pull around the jeep. He was curious and lively and Roman couldn’t be prouder of the hybrid in his arms. He knew that Virgil would still struggle, he wouldn’t want to be left alone for a while and Roman was  _ this  _ close to emailing his professors about taking Virgil to class. He didn’t want to leave Virgil alone in the apartment ever again. “Mr. Prince?”

Roman turned as a somewhat familiar voice rang through the waiting room, “Marissa?”

Marissa smiled, the familiar ginger cat hybrid poked his head from around his owner. Virgil ducked his head at the unfamiliar voice, hiding in his scarf. Marissa glanced at Virgil, “Is that-?”

Roman nodded as Virgil peered at the stranger from Roman’s chest, “Yeah. Marissa, this is Virgil. Virgil, Kitten, this is Marissa and her hybrid, Crew. He’s ten.”

Virgil looked down at Crew, who’s eyes were focused on Virgil’s brace, “... h-hi…”

Marissa smiled softly at Virgil’s stutter, “It’s very nice to meet you, Virgil.”

Virgil nodded and then looked up at Marissa, “H-how did you meet Roman…?”

Roman soothed a hand over one of Virgil’s ears, “She was here while you were in surgery, Kitten.”

Virgil looked at Marissa and Crew and then back at Roman with a tiny nod. Roman smiled, pressing their foreheads again. Roman’s heart wasn’t just full, it felt like it wasn’t even in his chest. It wasn’t. It was sitting in Virgil’s outstretched, shaking hands. Crew’s voice shook Roman out of his thoughts, “Is Mr. Prince a good owner, Virgil?”

Virgil’s gaze snapped to the smaller hybrid. The ginger cat ears twitched as Virgil’s mismatched eyes met Crew’s green eyes. Virgil blinked a few times before, “... Is Marissa a good owner?”

Crew nodded immediately, “Her and Gavin are amazing!”

Virgil nodded slowly in response, “Roman is just as amazing.”

Roman smiled, kissing Virgil’s temple at the steady statement. Crew hopped on the balls of his feet, “He’s really good at telling stories.”

“I know.”

“Mr. Prince said that you were hurt, are you still hurt?”

“... I-...” Virgil looked at Roman, “I don’t know… I don’t feel like it…”

Roman smiled softly at his hybrid, “That just means that your body is healing up. Your head, remember the PTSD that Patton said-” Virgil nodded, “-that’s your head hurting.”

“Oh.”

Crew’s ears twitched in the air, “What’s PTSD? It doesn’t sound good.”

Marissa shushed Crew gently, “It’s not good, Baby. I’ll explain it later.”

“Oh! Okay.”

Patton looked over from his phone, “Roman, Logan’s out front.”

Roman nodded, adjusting his grip on Virgil, “It was nice to see you again, Marissa. Crew, be good.”

Crew nodded obediently with a big smile. Marissa waved at Virgil, who lifted a shaking hand in response. Roman put a hand on Virgil’s back to try to brace him before leaving the hospital. 

Virgil immediately recoiled into Roman’s chest at the cold that buffeted his body. It hadn’t been that cold from anything that he could remember. Virgil pressed his nose into Roman’s shoulder before opening his eyes to glance around from the safety of Roman’s embrace. A flutter of white powder danced across his eyesight. Virgil sat up immediately, trying to follow the powder through the air when he realized that it was everywhere.  _ Snow. _ Virgil looked around, watching as more snow drifted through the air. He slowly looked around, watching as the flurry of white twisted through the air. He looked over at Roman with wide eyes. The snow was starting to stick to Roman’s brown hair. Virgil wondered vaguely if the snow in his own hair looked just as pretty. Roman smiled, starting to rub gentle circles on Virgil’s back, “Do you think it’s pretty?”

Virgil nodded, still too mesmerized to speak fully. It was beautiful. For a second, he didn’t want to get into the car. He wanted to stay here and watch as the snow fell but a shiver shot down his spine and Roman decided that was enough exposure. Virgil was placed in the back seat as Patton climbed in the passenger seat next to Logan. Virgil pressed his nose to the window to watch as the snow fell. Roman chuckled, “Kitten?”

“... mmh?”

“You can watch it at home too. Don’t worry.”

Virgil turned his head, watching as Roman buckled up. His owner was right, of course. The snow was falling consistently, it wasn’t going to stop. Virgil slowly slid to the middle seat, buckling his own seatbelt. Roman gently eased a hand over his ears, “When we get home, I’m going to get you into a nice, warm bath. Does that sound nice?”

Virgil nodded immediately. It did. His fur could be soft again. Roman chuckled lightly, letting the hybrid lean into his chest. Virgil watched the snow outside of the car. Roman had wrapped Virgil up in the warmest clothes he could to make sure that Virgil made it to the car without being too cold or afraid. The drive was pretty quiet, peaceful even. The apartment building was a welcomed sight as Roman slowly scooped Virgil into his arms once more. 

Virgil could barely believe that he was sitting in the bath once more. He could already tell that his fur and hair was going to be soft when he got out. The grime and dirt was being washed away. There were new scars that traced his skin but the water was warm and comforting and it smelled like home. He wrapped himself in a towel as he stood shakily. Roman had told him to call if he needed help. He had already asked for so much, Virgil could handle getting dressed and taking care of himself. He went through the whole process; towel-drying his hair, brushing his teeth, and wrapping himself in the clothes that Roman had handed him. The weight of his new license against his chest caused tears to start to bloom in the corner of his eyes. The red hoodie that Roman had given him was warm and smelled like home but he pulled on his beanie anyway.

Roman was standing in the kitchen as Virgil slowly made his way into the main area of the apartment. Roman looked up from the stove with a smile, “Just in time. I made you some tea.”

Virgil accepted the familiar black mug from him and lifted his head to look at the stove, “What are you making?”

Roman smiled, “Chorizo. Go, sit down in the armchair and drink your tea, Kitten.”

Virgil nodded, pressing into Roman’s chest for a moment before pulling away, “Thank you for taking care of me… even when I didn’t remember you...”

“Of course. What else would I be doing? I couldn’t leave my kitten alone. Not ever.”

Virgil smiled, slowly retreating to the armchair that sat next to the window. Something in his gut went cold as he looked at the window, locked securely. Virgil climbed into the chair, pulling the throw blanket around his shoulders as he watched the snow drift down from the sky. There was something comforting about it, something that eased the rolling mass of fear in his stomach. The tea was warm and familiar, so was the humming that came from the kitchen. Virgil slowly pulled off the beanie, setting the cloth on the arm of the chair. Virgil relaxed into the cushions behind him, holding his mug with both hands. Patton and Logan had left the apartment to go on a walk in the snow, bundled up in scarves and jackets. Virgil hadn’t asked to go. He felt no need to, not when Roman kicked off his own shoes and started drawing a bath for him. 

“Look at those happy ears.”

Virgil looked over to the kitchen and smiled when he saw Roman leaning against the doorframe, brown hair hanging over his forehead. As Roman’s eyes sparkled in the light of the apartment, Virgil couldn’t help but wonder how he had ever forgotten what those eyes looked like, like emeralds embedded into a crown of gold. Virgil’s ears twitched, “... I am happy… a little… a little scared… but I am happy to be home…”

Roman raised an eyebrow, crossing the room in even strides before crouching in front of the armchair, “Why are you scared, Virgil?”

Virgil shrugged, “I don’t-... I’m not-...” His chest was starting to get tighter, he knew that he would be crying soon, “I-” Roman took his hands and the dam inside of his chest broke, “ _ I don’t want to be taken again! _ ”

Roman blinked as Virgil started crying. He could tell that the human in front of him was shocked at his sudden explosion of emotion but Roman handled it. He scooped Virgil into his arms, safely depositing the tea on the table next to the armchair, “Oh… oh, Kitten. It’s going to be alright. I’ve got you. No one’s gonna get you ever again. I’ll make sure of it. They’ll have to go through me first. I won’t even leave you in my room alone if you don’t want me to.”

Virgil buried his face into Roman’s shoulder, letting his owner pamper and calm the panic that always built up in his system. Virgil felt Roman start rocking slightly, humming under his breath. Virgil glanced over at the window, watching the snow start landing on the windowsill. The chill set into his bones, even inside the apartment. Virgil tucked himself closer to Roman and closed his eyes, listening as Roman hummed and rocked slowly like Virgil had never left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ENJOY!
> 
> Thank you all for being patient with this weird update schedule!


	26. It's Warm in Mom's Arms

Virgil held onto Roman’s hand tightly as they walked through the airport. The noise was starting to edge his panic closer and closer to the brink. Virgil tightened his grip around Roman’s hand and his owner slowed, crouching a little to scoop him into his arms. Virgil nuzzled close to Roman, taking deep breaths of the cinnamon that rolled off of him in waves. Roman rubbed his back, humming under his breath as he continued walking. Virgil knew that he was skinny but he had to weigh _ something _ to the human, especially with the backpack on his shoulders. Virgil tucked his nose into Roman’s collarbone, closing his eyes against the bustle of the airport. He was already starting to feel better. Roman’s hand skated down his back as Virgil nestled further into his embrace. Roman had already given him a melatonin tablet and the medication was already starting to kick in. Virgil’s head bobbed slightly as he fought to stay awake. Roman shushed him gently, kissing the tip of his ear, “Kitten, get some sleep.”

Virgil took a deep breath, following his owner’s gentle command as he crashed into the darkness at the edge of his consciousness. 

Roman smiled to himself as he felt Virgil’s grip tighten before loosening. He had been right when he felt the hybrid’s head start shifting as if he was fighting sleep. He was, in the end. Virgil crashed hard against Roman’s collarbone as he approached the gate for their flight. The week at home had done little to return Virgil to his previous self. He was gaining weight, thanks to Logan’s and Roman’s cooking, but the purring had never resurfaced. It crushed Roman’s heart as he waited for the beautiful, little, rolling engine to reappear and then it never did. Virgil would still lean into his hand for the gentle strokes to his ears but he never purred. The beginning days-... He hadn’t hidden behind the couch when a thunderstorm rolled into the city. Virgil had simply glued himself to Roman’s side and asked him to read him a story. Roman happily accepted. Roman sat at the gate, waiting for their number to be called as Virgil slept, cheek a little squished from how he was resting. Roman gently ran a hand through Virgil’s hair, relishing in the softness that had returned after a few long baths. Virgil’s tail twitched in his sleep as he curled a little closer. 

Roman sighed in relief. He would never be able to get enough of Virgil curling closer to him. The first night at home after the hospital, Virgil had crawled into the bed and pressed into Roman’s chest. There was no hesitation. Just a simple request for affection as he fell asleep. Touchy, that’s what Logan had said. Cuddly is what Patton had said. ‘Needed him’ was the answer when Roman asked Virgil. Who the hell was he to deny his hybrid anything he desired? Roman stood, picking up the backpack that he had shrugged off to sit down, as his flight was called. The stewardess smiled sweetly as Roman handed her the tickets and papers she needed. He struggled to continue to hold Virgil in his comfy position against his shoulder. The stewardess’ gaze flashed to Virgil for a moment and Roman felt his entire body stiffen in alarm. No other stranger was allowed to look at Virgil again. It was still too raw, the chill of holding Virgil’s _ empty _ hoodie and sobbing into it- Virgil made a quiet noise of protest in his sleep as Roman squeezed him. Roman’s grip immediately loosened as he pressed his lips to Virgil’s hair in silent apology. 

Roman made sure to buckle up Virgil securely, wrapping him in the extra blanket provided by the airlines. He stored the one carry-on that he had before sitting next to Virgil. The hybrid was dead asleep, not even shifting to nuzzle into Roman’s shoulder as he slept. _ My own fault, two melatonin tablets when one is enough to knock him out for hours, _ Roman figured. He gently reached over, cupping Virgil’s cheek to pull the small body a little closer to him. Losing him for all of those weeks, Roman was starting to realize, dragged on his soul more than he thought. He rested his chin on top of Virgil’s hair, watching the airport and then the clouds as they took off. 

Landing in Florida was a little bumpy, as always. Roman retrieved the backpacks, carefully sliding the straps onto Virgil’s arms until he could pick the sleeping hybrid up. Virgil’s head rolled a little before his mismatched eyes blinked open, blurry and filled with sleep. Roman smiled softly, speaking quietly, “We’ve only just landed. Sleep, Kitten,” Virgil mumbled something and his head landed back on Roman’s shoulder and he chuckled under his breath, “Sleepy Kitty.”

Virgil’s hands around his neck tightened incrementally and then immediately went limp in his owner’s arms. Roman moved through the airport, readjusting Virgil every so often, light but not light enough for Roman to feel sure about carrying this precious cargo without adjusting. “Roman!”

Roman grinned as he saw his mother and father waving from the terminal gate. He joined them and held Virgil tightly as he hugged his parents. Maria put a hand on Virgil’s back, looking at the wrist brace with worried eyes, “Oh… Conejito…”

Roman smiled sadly, whispering past Virgil’s ear, “He’s okay, Mamá… Just tired.”

Maria nodded, “Well, come on then… He looks a little chilly, Mijo. Let’s get him to the car.”

Roman tried not to laugh at his mother’s worrying. Virgil was probably a bit chilly because Roman had abandoned the itchy airplane blanket but he had his black and purple hoodie on, swamping his form once more. Roman tried to grab his duffle bag but his father had grabbed it with nothing but a stern look when Virgil adjusted in his sleep. Roman sighed and thanked him before following Maria out to the car. She opened the back door and Roman carefully extracted the backpack from Virgil’s arms and tossed it into the opening before settling Virgil’s head on the soft fabric of the interior of the car. Roman tugged off his backpack as Maria watched Virgil sleep soundly, the steady rise and fall of his chest reminding Roman that he was very much still there. It was different when Maria watched Virgil. His mother could take off a man’s head if she wanted to. Roman climbed into the car, reaching over to pull Virgil into his lap. He couldn’t make eye contact with his parents, even as they asked quiet questions on the drive home.

Roman made sure that Virgil was settled in the bed before tearing himself away from the hybrid’s side, moving back into the kitchen, leaving the door cracked. The hybrid was still knocked out from the melatonin tablets. He leaned against the doorway and watched as Maria turned, graying brown hair pulled up and out of her face as she made dinner, “_ The little one is still out like a light, huh?” _

Roman nodded, _ “I gave him two melatonin tablets. I wanted him to sleep until he absolutely had to wake up.” _

_ “That’s good. I hope he’ll be hungry when he wakes up.” _

_ “He will be.” _

_ “That’s good.” _

A long stretch of silence filled the air with awkwardness. What was wrong with him? Roman was never _ awkward _with his mother. He was confident and loud in everything he did and his mother was proud of him for it. Why was it so hard right now? Maria put down her spoon, wiping her hands on the apron that she had adorned to turn and open her arms, “C’mere, Mijo. Give me a hug.”

Roman smiled, it felt fake, and hugged his mother, leaning down to rest his head on his shoulder like he used to as a child. Maria gently combed her hand through his hair, humming some old lullaby that Roman could remember if he tried. He didn’t want to… Maria’s arms were warm and solid and Roman only realized that he was _ cold _. Cold and terrified. No one could understand how hard it was to lose his beloved like that. 

_ Stolen. _

_ From his own bed. _

_ While he drank coffee in the kitchen. _

Roman broke, sobbing into his mother’s shoulder, focusing on nothing but the warmth that she gave off and the lullaby that she hummed. 

He cried away the broken pieces of his heart in the kitchen of his childhood home, waiting for his new home to wake up with sleepy eyes and sweater paws and quiet pleas for cuddles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this chapter.  
Catch Roman actually getting his feelings out. Yikes.
> 
> Serious Talk For A Moment Kiddos (TW IG)
> 
> I've been suffering in my mental health for a while (like my depression and anxiety spiked only recently) and I'm like... so sorry because my writing is suffering because of it.  
But I've started to get better. This chapter really let me shake out my Sad Feelings(TM)  
Cuz like... cuddly!Virgil? It makes everyone feel better.
> 
> Anywho!
> 
> Stray Hearts is coming and I do have to say that I have no idea how or when I'm gonna finish this fic. Lmao
> 
> Guess Y'all are stuck with me.
> 
> I seriously love you all! Thank you for reading!


	27. The Sun Comes Out After The Rain

Roman wasn’t sure how long he cried in his mother’s arms. All he knew was that when he pulled his head from her shoulder, his back ached from being bent over. His head pounded slightly from dehydration and he was exhausted. Maria gently pushed sweat-drenched hair out of his face as she handed him a glass of cool water, “ _ Oh… Little Prince, how long have you held that in for?” _

_ “I don’t know, Mom…” _

Maria’s green eyes were bright and full of sadness at seeing her son break down like this,  _ “Go, get a shower and lay down with Virgil. I’ll wake you for dinner.” _

Roman nodded, sniffling quietly as he swallowed the water that was given to him. The shower was warm and he relaxed in the water. A weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He finally felt whole enough to be able to crawl in next to Virgil and provide all the warmth and comfort that he needed. Roman tugged on his pajamas, too exhausted to care about the time when Virgil was  _ right there _ , wrapped in blankets and asleep like he had been all those weeks ago during Thanksgiving. Roman put one knee on the bed, carefully easing into bed. He didn’t do a very good job, Virgil twitched before his eyes cracked open. He looked over at Roman and scooted until he was positioned on Roman’s chest once more. Roman blinked back more tears at the half-asleep movement. Roman eased a hand over Virgil’s ears, “Sleep well, mi Corazon.”

Roman was asleep before he could even process the feeling of Virgil’s breath against his skin. 

He awoke to a gentle poke at his cheek and he pried his eyes open, looking down, “... Virgil?”

Virgil gave a tiny smile, “Maria said that it was time to eat.”

“Oh… How long have you been awake, Kitten?”

“... Dunno.”

“Virgil.”

“Awhile.”

Roman sighed, slowly stroking the back of Virgil’s hair, “Why didn’t you get up?”

Virgil shrugged. Roman went to call out the lie before Virgil nuzzled right back into his collarbone, “... didn’t wanna leave you.”

Roman’s heart melted right through his ribcage. Roman chuckled softly, kissing the tip of Virgil’s ear, “Are you hungry?”

Virgil nodded, “Mmhmm but I don’t wanna get up.”

Something about that sentence made Roman insanely happy. Virgil? Not wanting to get up? Even though his owner was ready to get up? He was making his recovery remarkably well. Roman let out a breath, “C’mon, Kitten. Let’s get up and eat something and then we can come right back here.”

Virgil’s voice was muffled against Roman’s skin, “Promise?”

“Swear it.”

Virgil giggled and Roman sighed out of relief as Virgil sat up. His hair was a mess from his six hours of sleep, airport to plane to car to bed. Virgil scrubbed at his eyes and smiled, a little sleepy, as Roman sat up, “Your hair’s messy.”

“Yours is too, Gatito.”

Virgil scrunched his nose and immediately tried to fix it. Roman shook his head, gently pulling the hybrid’s hands away from the black strands, “It’s cute, Kitten.”

Virgil stood and held Roman’s hand as they entered the kitchen. Maria was putting plates on the table and she smiled at the smile on Roman’s lips, “I made some shrimp enchiladas.”

Roman’s stomach growled at the smell that filled the room. Roman sat down at a plate as Virgil scrambled to sit next to him. Maria put the last of the food out and sat down next to Diego. Roman immediately dished some food out, putting an enchilada on Virgil’s plate before filling his own. Virgil got his own rice with a little help from Maria and started eating. His appetite had returned in full force. Roman let the hybrid eat until he was full. His owner was still picking at food on the plate. Virgil leaned back in his seat, putting his hands in his lap, “That was delicious… Thank you, Maria.” 

“Of course, Conejito. Did you get enough?”

Virgil nodded. Roman had watched as the few weeks at home from the hospital had given Virgil some of his chubby cheeks back, still skinny and not quite back up to a healthy weight but he was getting there. His rosy cheeks were back, the pink glow settling right underneath his skin. Roman loved that color. 

Roman knew that the recovery process could take a long time. Virgil wouldn’t be jumping back into how he was before overnight but he was getting better already. He hadn’t forgotten that Roman had told him to come to his owner for anything and everything. There were no “rules” in the apartment. It was just home. Now, they were relaxing into the Prince household just like Thanksgiving weekend. 

Virgil rubbed at his eyes as he waited for Roman to finish eating. He still felt tired, even after sleeping for most of the day. It wasn’t a new feeling. All he really wanted to do was curl up in Roman’s arms and sleep for another day. He hadn’t exactly voiced those wishes to Roman. Virgil knew that his owner would take it seriously and Virgil wouldn’t have to move from the warmth and comfort of Roman’s childhood bed until he was good and ready to. Yet, at the same time, he wanted to go outside and lay in the grass. It had been a new sensation over Thanksgiving weekend and he loved it. The blades tickled his skin as he laid in the greenery. The padding beneath him was cold compared to the sun, even in the winter, a wonderful combination of feelings against Virgil’s scar littered skin. 

Something brushed against his ear, interrupting his thoughts and he looked up. Roman gave a soft smile, his thumb gently rubbing circles in the base of Virgil’s ear, “What’s got you so far away, Kitten?”

The response was immediate, Roman’s voice always had a way of prying what Virgil wanted out of his head, even when his owner hadn’t asked, “Can I go lay in the grass?”

Roman blinked at the sudden request, his eyes were almost identical to the color of the grass in Virgil’s memory, “Of course, Virgil. Just make sure to grab a jacket.”

Virgil nodded, sliding off his chair and hurrying to retrieve his hoodie. He tugged on the clothing before leaving the house through the back door. The yard was just as it had been during the last visit and Virgil took the chance, even with the setting sun, to flop onto the grass and roll. The smell was almost as calming as Roman’s scent, the cinnamon that had been so ingrained into him that he felt the need to leave his own clothes within Roman’s drawers so that they would smell the same. It wasn’t the same but Virgil was grateful for the spicy, yet sweet, smell that clung to his owner and to him from being near Roman. The addition of grass helped settle something within Virgil that he hadn’t realized had been out of place. He took a deep breath and laid his head back, looking up at the sky. The bright blue was starting to fade away into the darkness of the evening but he had a few more minutes of daylight. He was going to use it.

It took a few more minutes before Roman joined him, “Mind if I lay with you?”

Virgil shook his head and the human sat next to him before flopping onto his back. Virgil glanced over at him before intertwining their hands between them. Roman let out a breath and Virgil spoke softly, “Are you okay?”

Roman looked over at Virgil as Virgil gave a tiny smile. He sighed softly, “Yeah, Virgil. I’m alright. It’s just nice to be home,” Roman squeezed his hand gently, “It’s nice to have you here… with me.”

Virgil’s smile grew a bit before he looked back up at the sky, “That’s good.”

“What about you? Are you okay?”

Virgil nodded, “Yeah… It’s nice here… I like grass.”

Roman’s hand tightened around Virgil’s once more and it fell silent. Virgil wanted to lay there forever but, eventually, clouds started to roll in and the sun disappeared behind the horizon. It was getting too cold for Roman’s taste. Virgil could tell as he was scooped into Roman’s arms and carried inside the house. As the back door closed, Virgil was enveloped in warmth. Roman spoke across the room to his mother,  _ “Mamá, creo que va a llover esta noche.” _

Maria smiled and nodded,  _ “Eso es lo que dicen las noticias.” _

Virgil peaked over at the older woman from where he was tucked against Roman’s chest, “What’s going on?”

Roman chuckled, “Sorry, Gatito. I just said that I thought it was going to rain tonight. Mom just agreed with me.”

“Oh. I don’t like it.”

“I know you don’t like storms, Kitten. It’s okay. I won’t-”

“No. Well, I  _ don’t  _ like storms but I meant that I don’t like that I can’t understand Spanish.”

Roman’s eyes widened, “Oh. Do you want to learn?”

“Will you teach me?”

“Of course, Gatito! We can start whenever you’d like.”

Virgil smiled and Roman smiled back, bright and blinding. Virgil wrapped his arms around Roman’s shoulders, hugging him tightly. Roman hugged him back just as tightly. Something pulled at his diaphragm but he shoved it to the side to take the chance to shove his face into Roman’s collarbone and take a deep breath. The cinnamon smell flooded his nostrils and Virgil wished that he could imprint the smell into his nose. 

The storm started just as Virgil was crawling into bed, hair wet from a bath. Roman looked over as the hybrid crawled into bed, burrowing under the blanket. The rain sounded outside of the window and Roman chuckled, “Here comes the rain.”

Virgil nodded as he wiggled over to his owner. Roman lifted an arm, letting Virgil take up his spot, half on Roman’s chest with his ear above his owner’s heartbeat. Virgil glanced at the book Roman was reading for only a moment before he closed his eyes. Roman’s chuckle sounded in his chest as fingers gently started carding through Virgil’s hair, “You sleepy?”

“A little…”

Roman made a sound of acknowledgment before he started humming a song. Virgil felt his body relax almost immediately as Roman’s fingers drifted from his hair to down his spine. Virgil took a deep breath and felt his chest loosen significantly. Roman’s hand was soothing as he traced patterns along Virgil’s back.

Roman could tell that Virgil needed this form of contact. The hybrid hadn’t pulled away from any physical affection that Roman had offered but the muscles in Virgil’s back twitched as he drew shapes onto the cloth of his shirt. Virgil’s shoulders moved up as he took a deep breath and Roman froze for a moment before Virgil relaxed once more and a quiet rumbling rolled through the air. Roman tried not to start crying as the purring filled the air. His breath hitched in his chest as he continued to run his hand down Virgil’s back. He abandoned his book fully and simply listened to the wonderful rumble that sank into Roman’s bones from his precious hybrid. The purring continued for a moment before trailing off as Virgil slipped into his unconscious. Roman closed his eyes tightly to fight back any tears before looking down at the sleeping hybrid. 

Virgil’s ears twitched slightly in his sleep as his hands twisted in the blanket and Roman’s shirt. The pale skin stood out against the dark covers of his childhood bed like stars against the night sky. Roman lifted a hand to gently pet Virgil’s hair. He reached over to turn off the lamp next to his bed. He listened to the rain falling and Virgil’s gentle breaths for a few moments before his eyes closed and he was asleep. His love pressed close to his chest and his heart settled, though there’s hardly a difference in Roman’s mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope all of you lovelies are keeping safe and healthy during these times. I'm back with another chapter and I hope you all like it!
> 
> I need to explain my short absence to you just to clear my conscience. 
> 
> I got pretty sick for about a week before I thought I was better. And by sick, I mean sick. I thought I was better and started working on this chapter over the weekend before the Monday of the next week and I woke up with a high fever and a very upset stomach and a pain in my back. I went to the doctor's office on Wednesday and found out that I had a kidney infection, which is very dangerous to leave alone for as long as I did. Whoops.
> 
> It's all cleared up now so I'm back to new and updates will continue as normal!
> 
> I love you all and hope you stay safe!
> 
> Please! Check out my twitter for some helpful links! 
> 
> My Twitter Account can be found [ Here](https://twitter.com/else555)!


	28. No Sunscreen!

Roman leaned back in his seat of the car. Virgil was staring out of the other window, watching the passing scenery. He chuckled softly, “Kitten, the outside world isn’t going anywhere.”

Virgil turned to look at him, his mismatched eyes bright, “I know but it’s so pretty!”

Roman smiled as Virgil turned back to the window, tail tip twitching against the seat of the car. It was too hot, even in the dead of winter, for Virgil’s usual clothing. His skinny jeans had been replaced with shorts. He was still wearing a jacket, lighter than his hoodie, over his t-shirt but Roman couldn’t drag the cover off of Virgil when he knew that it helped the hybrid feel safe. Roman looked over at his father in the driver’s seat, “How long?”

Virgil’s ears swiveled to catch the answer, “About an hour.”

Maria giggled as the hybrid switched sides and sat on Roman’s lap to stare out his window, “You’re very excited, Conejito.”

“I’ve never seen a beach before,” Virgil explained quietly.

It was a sad truth that Roman had only found out a few nights ago. 

_ Virgil clambered into bed and immediately curled up against Roman’s chest, waiting for his owner to get off the phone with Laura, “I don’t know, Laur.” _

_ “Dude! I just wanna see Virgil. I’m not gonna hurt him.” _

_ “I know but you’re on vacation.” _

_ “So?” _

_ Roman laughed, “So, you love the beach. You don’t have to come see us. I’ll be back in a few months for Spring Break.” _

_ Laura huffed, “Fine. I guess. Love you, cousin.” _

_ “Love you too.” _

_ Roman tossed his phone to the side as Virgil tucked right underneath his chin, “Ro…?” _

_ “Yeah, Kitten?” _

_ “What does the beach look like?” _

It had been settled the next morning. The Prince’s were taking a trip to see the beach. Virgil continued to watch out of the window. The rest of the drive was peaceful and Virgil was starting to bounce in his seat as the edge of the horizon grew blue, “Ro, Ro. It’s pretty…!”

Roman laughed easily, “Yeah, Kitten. The ocean is very pretty.”

Roman watched carefully as Virgil started exploring the edge of the sand on the parking lot. He looked up and stared at the water for a moment before he turned with a brilliant smile, “Roman! Look at the ocean!”

Roman laughed, “Yeah, Vi. It’s really big.”

“It’s loud.”

“Yes, it is. Why don’t you just explore near here while we grab everything?”

Virgil nodded and Roman felt safe enough to turn his back. Roman took the ice chest from his father and followed Virgil’s wandering, “Gatito, c’mon. We’re going to set up a place to sit down.”

Virgil looked over at Roman before hurrying to follow him, “Ro! Sand is hard to walk in!”

Roman laughed, looking over his shoulder as Virgil trudged after him. The hybrid was still a little weak after the hospital. He was still being careful on his ankle, the brace sticking out of his converse. Roman smiled, “Yeah. It’s definitely more difficult because of your ankle. Do you need help?”

Virgil shook his head, ears twitching against the wind, “I’m okay.”

Roman nodded and set the ice chest next to the blanket that Maria had spread out. He turned to hand Virgil the bottle of sunscreen (who knew how sensitive the hybrid’s pale skin was to the sun?) and stopped when he realized that Virgil was no longer behind him. Roman looked around, panic starting to build in his chest until he finally saw Virgil crouched in the sand. Roman put the sunscreen on the ice chest, rubbing a little on his face and neck as he walked towards where Virgil had crouched, “Kitten? Are you okay?”

Virgil looked up and smiled brightly, his one dimple on full display, “Look!”

Virgil stood, offering his hand. A purple seashell was resting in his palm and Roman couldn’t stop his smile, “It’s beautiful, Virgil. C’mon. Let’s get a little bit of sunscreen on, okay? The last thing I want is-”

“For me to get a sunburn.”

Roman chuckled, scooping Virgil into his arms, “Exactly. You know me so well.”

Virgil nodded, fiddling with the seashell in one hand as he held onto Roman’s shoulder, “Mmhmm.”

Roman held back his chuckle at the distracted hum of agreement and put Virgil on the ice chest under the shade. Virgil looked at the bottle of sunscreen and wrinkled his nose, “Did you put some on already?”

“Yeah. Just a little. What’s that face for, Gatito?”

“It smells weird,” Virgil pouted a little.

Roman chuckled. He had a feeling that it went deeper but he wasn’t going to question it right now. Roman knelt in front of Virgil, putting a dollop of sunscreen into his palm, “I know, Gatito, but your skin is  _ so _ pale. I don’t want to risk you getting a bad sunburn. They hurt.”

Virgil’s face scrunched as Roman wiped a few lines of sunscreen onto his face. He whined, “ _ Romannnn!” _

“Hush, you big baby. Rub it in.”

Virgil’s face stayed scrunch as he followed his owner’s instructions. Roman tried not to laugh at Virgil’s annoyance as he wiped away one of the white streaks. He leaned down and kissed Virgil’s cheek, “Good job.”

Roman knew that Virgil was trying to be stalwart in his grumpy countenance as he praised the hybrid until he giggled against Roman’s lips. Roman looked up and smiled at his mother as Maria watched Virgil giggled. She smiled at her son and pet Virgil’s hair, “Why don’t you take off your shoes, Conejito? You can feel the sand.”

Virgil looked between Maria and Roman, “... Can I?”

Roman’s smile softened, “Of course you can, Virgil. We can go in the water too-”

“Not too deep.”

Roman blinked at Virgil’s firm statement and he nodded slowly, repeating in agreement, “Not too deep.”

Virgil swallowed slightly and nodded, leaning down to untie his shoes. He placed them and his socks on the blanket. Roman watched as Virgil slowly stood in the sand. He wiggled his feet a little and then looked up with a bright smile, “It feels so weird.”

Roman laughed, “It’s definitely a new feeling to you. You hated the carpet at first too. Do you remember?”

Virgil nodded and Maria looked over, “You didn’t like carpet?”

“It was too soft.”

“Too soft?”

Virgil nodded once more as Roman ran his fingers through his hair, “Yeah, Mamá. He wasn’t used to it. He likes it now.”

Maria slowly looked between the pair and smiled at Virgil, “Well, it’s good that you like it now. Tell me if you start feeling sore, Conejito.”

Virgil grinned, taking Roman’s hand, “I will. Thank you!”

“Have fun.”

Roman chuckled as Maria shot him a pointed look, “C’mon, Virgil. We can look at the water.”

Virgil was fine approaching the water. He looked everywhere, watching a few people on the sand. The beach wasn’t crowded, not quite empty. Roman felt safe enough to let Virgil wander a few feet away from him but never out of his line of sight. It was only when the water lapped at his feet that his grip grew tight around Roman’s. Roman looked over and stopped at the edge of the water, “Virgil… are you okay?”

Virgil swallowed thickly, watching the waves break near the shore. It was silent as Roman rubbed gentle circles into the back of Virgil’s hand. The hybrid had been excited to see the ocean at first. Now, he just seemed nervous. Roman watched Virgil carefully until a rather large wave broke near them and covered Virgil’s feet in the cold water. The hybrid jumped, immediately making a b-line to Roman’s arms. Roman choked on a laugh as he gently held Virgil to his chest, away from the water that had made him so nervous, “Not any deeper?”

Virgil nodded, hiding his face in Roman’s collarbone, “No, please…”

His voice was muffled from Roman’s shirt and Roman took a step away from the water, “Don’t like it?”

Virgil shook his head, “Too loud… too cold.”

Roman cooed softly under his breath and rubbed Virgil’s back, “Okay. Wanna go back to the blanket?”

Virgil nodded and Roman started the short trek back to the blanket. He hummed softly under his breath as they walked. Maria looked up and chuckled softly, “Didn’t like the water?”

Roman shook his head, “Too loud, too cold.”

“Aw. Little one, c’mere.”

Virgil felt Maria start scratching his back as Roman sat on the blanket under the shade. Roman safely deposited the hybrid onto the blanket and stood, “I’m going for a swim. Are you going to be okay here, Kitten?”

Virgil nodded, “Can I read my book?”

“Of course.”

Roman stayed around the blanket just long enough to make sure that Virgil was settled into the pillow that he brought along with his book before hurrying towards the water. Virgil watched for a second before turning his gaze back to his book. 

Virgil eventually strayed into the sun as Roman and Diego swam in the water. He explored down the beach, picking up small seashells that he thought were pretty. A small pile was starting to accumulate as the sun started sinking as lunch passed. Roman returned a few times, hair wet with seawater. He smiled sweetly the last time and cupped Virgil’s cheek, “You’re kinda pink, Kitten. Put on some more sunscreen.”

Virgil felt his nose wrinkle. He hated sunscreen. It was cold. It felt weird. It smelled weird. He hated the smell the most. It covered up all the good smells that he loved. Roman smelt like nothing but sunscreen the whole day. Virgil felt his heart start to yearn for the spicy cinnamon smell that usually rolled off of Roman in waves. He missed it. It didn’t matter if he hated the smell, he would do what Roman asked him to. 

He helped Maria start packing as the sun sank towards the horizon and even took a basket back to the car. He hadn’t done anything that day, nothing that was rough or tiring, and yet, as he was sitting in the car, waiting for Roman and Diego to finish loading the heavier things, he started nodding off. He was asleep before Roman was even inside the car. 

He woke up slightly to something cold gently wiping away at his cheeks. His eyes cracked open and Roman smiled, speaking quietly, “... hey, Kitten… We’re home… just go back to sleep.”

“... W-what’re you doing…?”

“Getting the sunscreen off of your cheeks. I think you got a little sunburn. Your cute, little cheeks are pink.”

Virgil hummed, closing his eyes and purring softly at the attention and care until Roman laid down next to him and he rolled over. He prayed that-  _ there’s no sunscreen.  _ Virgil immediately pressed as close as he could, taking deep breaths of the cinnamon scent that was rolling off Roman in waves. Roman chuckled, “What…?”

“... smell good… like cinnamon.”

“I always smell like cinnamon, Kitten.”

“... you didn’t today.”

“... Did that bother you?”

Virgil nodded, “Doesn’t smell like you. Not you. Not safe,” Virgil let out a soft breath as he started to drift off again, “Not my Ro…”

Roman stilled underneath him until a hand gently started carding through Virgil’s hair. He felt lips press to his forehead. It was only a quiet murmur, obviously not meant to be heard by the half-asleep hybrid, “Only yours, Mi Amor…”

Virgil’s mind scrambled for the meaning of the last words, so familiar yet so confusing, as he drifted further away. It wasn’t long until he was asleep.  _ Only yours, Mi Amor…  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the wait! I had a lot going on, as I'm sure it is for you all as well!
> 
> I hope you all are safe and healthy! I hope that this can bring a little bit of join to your quarantine.
> 
> I love you all!
> 
> also!!!
> 
> Please check my twitter for helpful links!


	29. What is in a Home?

Virgil woke up on Roman’s bed. They had returned from Florida late last night. Blankets were wrapped around him. Roman’s red hoodie had returned to its proper place as Virgil’s pajama shirt. Virgil pried his eyes open, staring at the string of fairy lights on the wall through blurry eyes. He lifted a sweater-pawed fist to rub at his eyes. He huffed slightly as he rubbed the tiredness away. There was a quiet chuckle and Virgil lifted his head, “... Roman?”

A hand gently ran over his ears and Virgil closed his eyes again, purring softly. Roman’s voice was gentle and quiet, “Yeah. I’m just getting ready for the day. How do you feel? Is your ankle sore?”

Virgil shook his head, “‘m okay. Tired.”

“You’re getting woken up from a long night of traveling. Of course, you’re tired. You just sleep.”

Virgil scrunched his nose, opening one eye to look up at Roman, “But you’re not laying down.”

Roman’s eyes widened before he laughed softly, “Oh, I’m sorry. Do you want more cuddles so that you can sleep?”

Virgil pouted and nodded. He really did just want Roman to lay down next to him again. It’d be so much better to sleep on top of Roman’s chest. Roman chuckled, gently scratching behind Virgil’s ear. Virgil pushed into Roman’s hand, easily falling back into the pillows as Roman sat next to him. He knew in his head that Roman wasn’t going to leave the room without him but he still hated whenever Roman wasn’t in bed with him. Virgil opened his arms and felt Roman scoop him up. Virgil nuzzled into Roman’s chest and let out a long breath. Roman’s hand skated down Virgil’s back and he kissed his temple. Virgil looked up at Roman and smiled softly, “Do you have class today?”

“Not today. Tomorrow. I’ll take you to school, Kitten. You don’t have to stay with Patton. You hate the vet office.”

Virgil shook his head, “I’ll be okay! I can do this, Ro!”

Roman’s smile was nearly heartbreaking, “I know you can, Kitten. But you have other options. I just wanted to make sure that you knew that.”

Virgil nodded, “I know. Don’t worry.”

Roman nuzzled his cheek, “I will always worry, Virgil.”

“I know.”

_ I love you for that.  _ Virgil buried himself back into Roman’s chest, taking one more deep breath as he closed his eyes. Roman’s arms tightened around him as they slumped back into the pillows. Virgil wrapped his own arms around Roman, hugging his owner as tightly as he dared. Roman made an exaggerated noise, “Whoa. When did you get so strong, Kitten?”

Virgil suppressed his giggle, “I haven’t gotten strong.”

“Yeah, you have. You’re squeezing me. You never used to do that.”

Virgil squeezed Roman one more time and the human laughed softly. It was so warm. It was always warm with Roman. Virgil felt like he was laying on the sunbaked sand of the beach once again but it was just Roman. He smelled like home and felt even better than any sand or grass that Virgil had ever come across. Virgil’s nose twitched as the smell of breakfast started seeping into the room. Disappoint curled in his stomach until it growled. Roman laughed once more, a bit louder, “Time to get some food, Virgil.”

Virgil wrinkled his nose. He was hungry… but that didn’t mean that he wanted to  _ get up _ . Getting up required moving away from the safety of Roman’s chest and his warmth. “... Virgil. We need to get up.”

Virgil pushed off the bed and onto his feet immediately. It wasn’t a command, it was barely even a statement but Virgil’s instincts kicked in. Roman blinked from where he was still laying down. Virgil’s voice cracked when he realized what he had done, “I-I don’t-”

Roman shook his head and sat up, “No. It’s okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize-... Are you okay?”

Virgil nodded, slowly crawling back into Roman’s arms, “I’m okay… Just-... jumpy? I guess…”

Roman’s arms wrapped around Virgil quickly and he stood, “That’s okay. You can be jumpy. I understand.”

Virgil rested his head on Roman’s shoulder and watched as he was carried down the hall. Logan was standing in the kitchen, a few plates already on the counter. Virgil took a deep breath of the cinnamon that rolled off of Roman. He was still wrapped in the bright red hoodie that Roman frequently wore out. It smelled enough like his owner that Virgil was okay with being put down at the table. Logan turned to look at him with a kind smile and placed the familiar mug in front of him, “Some lavender tea with a little bit of sugar.”

Virgil smiled as he took the mug between his hands, “Thank you, Logan.”

“Of course. How did you sleep?”

“Pretty good. The mattress is a lot comfier than an airplane seat.”

Logan laughed and nodded in agreement, “That it is. I’m sure Roman kept you comfy too.”

Virgil nodded, “I’m always comfy with Roman.”

“That’s good, Virgil.”

Roman’s hand brushed over Virgil’s ears and he immediately curled into the stroking that Roman was giving him. Roman chuckled softly, “You really are just touchy, Kitten.”

Virgil smiled up at Roman and his owner replied with a blinding smile of his own.  _ Roman  _ was blinding. Virgil finally broke the gaze when Logan placed a plate in front of him. It was an easy task, clearing the food from his plate. Logan was good at cooking, methodical enough to make sure nothing burned but also knew how to make it taste good. Virgil leaned back in his seat after he finished eating and sipped at his tea, stomach pleasantly full. Roman gently patted his leg, “You can go get dressed whenever you want, Kitten. I’ll be right here. Just shout if you need anything.”

Virgil nodded, holding his mug close as he slowly made his way back to Roman’s room. He took a deep breath before he closed the door behind him. He was safe here, Roman was just in the kitchen. Tomorrow was a completely different story.

\----------------------------------------

Roman opened his eyes as his alarm went off for classes and immediately felt the regret of not emailing his professors to ask for more time off start to build in his chest. Virgil was curled up across his torso. His ears twitched at the disturbance to his slumber but he continued to sleep. Roman sighed softly. Virgil’s hand clenched onto the sleeping shirt that Roman wore, pale skin against black fabric. Roman lifted a hand, gently grazing a scar on the back of Virgil’s hand with his fingertips. The raised skin was pink and jagged and disappeared underneath the red hem of his hoodie. It was a new scar, a brighter pink than his other faded ones that almost melted into his skin.  _ Almost _ being the keyword. Roman could feel old ones on Virgil’s arms when the hybrid allowed Roman to trace patterns across the skin there. It seemed to help Virgil feel a bit safer or maybe… calmer? As if Roman’s hands could make all the nightmares just… disappear.

Is that why Virgil let Roman drag his fingers across his skin or through his hair? Virgil had placed his trust and his safety 100% in Roman’s hands. It was oddly… comforting? At the same time, worry immediately curled in his chest. He shouldn’t go to class, he should stay at home and text Patton to not bother coming to collect Virgil for the day. He knew he couldn’t do that. School was too important for his future and he needed that in order to keep Virgil and him living comfortably. Virgil shifted and Roman looked down at him as the hybrid blinked awake and yawned, revealing pointed canines. His ears twitched as he lifted his head and looked at Roman, pupils a little wide in the darker light of the room. Roman smiled softly as he scratched behind Virgil’s ear, “Good morning.”

Virgil blinked at him for a moment before he sniffled and then… sneezed into his sleeve. Roman blinked in surprise and tried not to coo as Virgil rubbed at his eyes and sniffed again. His voice was a little weak from sleep, “... morning…”

Roman smiled softly, “How’d you sleep?”

“Good. … what about you?”

“Just fine, as always,” Roman cupped Virgil’s cheek, letting the hybrid lean into his hand, “Are you ready to spend the day with Patton? You can take some books and just relax.”

Virgil nodded, “I’ll take the Lord of the Rings.”

“Are you liking it so far?”

“Yeah! There’s magic and it’s really cool.”

“Good, Kitten. I knew you’d like it.”

Virgil nuzzled back into Roman’s shirt and Roman rested his hand on Virgil’s back, continuing to drag his fingertips along his arm. Quiet purring filled the air as Virgil started to relax further into Roman’s embrace. It was peaceful until the front door to the apartment opened and Virgil stiffened. He didn’t relax for a few seconds. Roman listened intensely but he knew that it was no use. Virgil’s ears were better than his and the hybrid looked at the door before crawling out of bed. Roman sat up, “What?”

“It’s Patton. You can’t be late for school.”

Roman huffed slightly, “I can’t even get a little more cuddles.”

Virgil tugged on his pants and looked over his shoulder at Roman as he buckled his belt, “... You have to get up.”

Roman chuckled, “Look at you being all responsible.”

Virgil pulled on his hoodie, tugging the black cloth over his ears, “The faster today is over, the faster we can just go to bed.”

Roman couldn’t argue with that logic so he got out of bed and started getting dressed. Virgil closed the door once he left the room, allowing his owner to get changed in peace. When he entered the kitchen, Patton was holding Virgil on his lap and petting his hair. Virgil was purring like there was no tomorrow, happy with the attention that was being given to him. Patton looked up at Roman and grinned, “Good morning! Virgil came in to say hello almost as soon as I sat down.”

Roman nodded in agreement, “He heard you come in.”

Patton looked down at Virgil, “How did you know it was me?”

Virgil looked up, “You walk differently than everybody… and I heard you say good morning to Logan.”

Patton blinked and then laughed as he gently scrubbed Virgil’s hair, “I forgot how good your ears are, Kitty! You’re so good!”

Virgil laughed happily and Roman felt his chest lighten almost immediately. Virgil’s laugh never ceased to ease any worry in Roman’s heart. Virgil glanced over at Roman, a smile still plastered on his face. Roman had to smile back. Logan glanced at the clock and hummed, “Roman, aren’t you going to be late?”

Roman followed his gaze to the clock and jumped, “ _ Shit. _ I’ve gotta go,” He scooped his bag into his arms and pressed his lips to Virgil’s temple, “See you later, Gatito.”

“Bye… Be safe…!”

Roman ran from the apartment, trying to cement the image of Virgil, happy and healthy in Patton’s arms, into his mind. 

Virgil watched as Roman ran from the apartment and tucked his nose into Patton’s shirt, suddenly very cold. Patton gently ran a hand down the back of his head, “Are you okay?”

Virgil nodded, “... I don’t like him being… gone…”

“You don’t?”

Virgil shook his head, “... I don’t- It’s just- I don’t know-”

“It’s okay. Just take a second and collect your thoughts. Why don’t you like Roman being gone?”

Virgil swallowed thickly. It got so hard to think clearly sometimes. He hated Roman being gone, hated when he wasn’t in the same room as him. Virgil’s hands shook as he tried to gather his thoughts.  _ Why?  _ That was the question of the year. Virgil took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Roman… “Roman’s safe…”

Patton didn’t respond for a second before, “What do you mean? Roman’s safe?”

“I mean-... He wouldn’t let anything happen to me… He’s safe and warm and… I don’t know… He’s… He feels like  _ home _ for me… I don’t think that’s possible though. A person can’t be a home. … Can they…?”

Virgil glanced over at Patton, who gave him a calm smile, “Oh, Virgil… A person can definitely be a home… and Roman’s a very good home.”

“How can he be a home though…?”

“... Well,” Patton glanced over at Logan, “... A home is a place that you… feel safe and taken care of. You can learn there and love there and be respected and laugh-”

“But it’s a place-”

Logan leaned against the counter, “It doesn’t have to be a place. It can be a person, Virgil.”

Virgil looked over at Logan, “... Really?”

“Of course.”

Patton giggled softly, stroking Virgil’s hair, “Roman makes you feel safe. He takes care of you. He lets you learn and laugh and love things. If he feels like a home for you then… he  _ is  _ your home. It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.”

Virgil blinked at the couple, “... Are you… are you guys home?”

“What do you mean?”

“Is Logan your home, Patton?”

Patton blinked and his cheeks flushed, “Ah… He… Yeah. He is.”

Virgil nodded slowly, “Okay… Thanks. I guess I’m just… new to this…?”

“You are and that’s okay. Everyone starts somewhere.”

Virgil let out a breath in relief. It was going to be a rocky start… but at least he had Roman there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the ridiculously long wait! This quarantine is KILLING ME.
> 
> I hope you are all safe and healthy and I hope this chapter can bring you a little bit of joy in these dark times. 
> 
> Check out my twitter for helpful links!
> 
> I love you all!


	30. Slip Next Stitch

Virgil fidgeted as Patton drove towards his office. Patton glanced over at him and smiled softly, “Virgil… you could stay at the apartment. I can turn around and take you back.”

Virgil shook his head, fidgeting with his hoodie strings and tying them together, “No. No. Roman would be worried if I was alone at the apartment and I still don’t feel… completely safe there without Roman…”

Patton nodded slowly before clicking his tongue, “I think I have an idea.”

Virgil watched carefully as Patton turned down a different street. His ears twitched underneath his beanie, “What… what kind of idea?”

“Well… you need something to keep your hands occupied and I don’t want you to be bored at the office or even at the apartment. Maybe you can try to learn how to make things with yarn.”

“What? Like knitting?”

“Exactly!”

Virgil chuckled softly, “... okay… might as well give it a shot, right? It can’t hurt.”

When Patton stopped at a craft store, Virgil was given the chance to choose different yarns and needles as Patton picked up guides for beginners. Virgil watched Patton glance through a few books before looking back at the many needles laid out before him. He hesitantly picked up a pair of purple ones and black yarn. Virgil fidgeted as Patton paid and started reading through the books as he sat in the passenger seat of the car. It seemed pretty simple at the beginning, just knots and slips. Virgil glanced at the bag at his feet. He would start trying when he got to Patton’s office.

Roman hated sitting through classes. They dragged on and, honestly, started to grate on his nerves. He glanced at his phone under the desk.

** _Message To _ ** **☔💜** ** _Virgil_ ** **💜☔**

_ Tell me when you get to Patton’s office, please _

** _Message From _ ** **☔💜** ** _Virgil_ ** **💜☔**

_ Okay _

** _Message From _ ** **☔💜** ** _Virgil_ ** **💜☔**

_ We’re at the office _

** _Message To _ ** **☔💜** ** _Virgil_ ** **💜☔**

_ Thank you, Kitten. Try to have fun today? _

** _Message From _ ** **☔💜** ** _Virgil_ ** **💜☔**

_ I will. Focus on school.  _

That was it. Was Virgil okay…? He hated the vet clinic. Roman knew that Patton had him. Virgil would be taken care of all day and watched over by the veterinarian. Besides, it gave Patton the chance to look the hybrid over without making it feel like a checkup. Roman fidgeted, fingers itching to text Virgil to make sure that he was okay. He took a deep breath, turning the phone off. He leaned over to Remus, whispering, “... hey. Can I ask you a favor?”

Remus looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow, muttering back, “Sure?”

Roman held up his phone, “Can you hold this? Just for this class?”

“... sure?”

“Don’t go through it.”

“Never.”

Remus gave a tricky smile before he slipped Roman’s phone into his backpack. Roman leaned back in his seat, turning back to his notes. He just had to get through three more classes. He could do this. 

He couldn’t do this.

The classes were too slow and Virgil hadn’t texted him. Patton had. A simple update message that they had gotten lunch and that Virgil was okay. That was… good. Virgil wasn’t panicking but what if he wasn’t telling Patton that he was uncomfortable? Virgil never wanted to make his family worry so he never said when he was nervous. Roman’s leg bounced in his last class, watching the clock instead of the professor. He had written everything he needed, the normal dredge of syllabus content. He was out of his seat as soon as she released them. 

Grabbing a cab wasn’t easy but he managed. He had texted Virgil when he got out of the class and had yet to hear anything back. Worry flooded his system and he couldn’t seem to calm his shaking leg until he was pushing into Pet Agree. Drew smiled, “Roman! Good to see you. Your hybrid-”

“Is everything alright?”

“He’s wonderful. He helped me organize for a bit and then Patton hid him away when we opened. I was so disappointed. He has such a sharp mind.”

Roman chuckled softly, worry slowly dripping away, “He’s pretty smart.”

Drew nodded with a hum, “Go on back. Patton’s free right now.”

Roman threw a thanks over his shoulder as he made his way toward Patton’s office. Roman knocked on the office door before peeking in. Patton was sitting at his desk, a few papers scattered before him. He looked up and grinned, “Roman! Virgil’s just in the restroom. He’ll be back soon.”

Roman nodded slowly and sat at one of the extra chairs, looking over at the obvious area that Virgil had taken as his spot. His hoodie was spread across the floor, his phone and headphones laying with it, “... what’s with the yarn?”

“Mmh? OH! Virgil’s trying to learn to knit.”

Roman blinked, looking back over at Patton, “I’m… sorry? What?”

“He’s learning how to knit. He’s doing really well actually. I think he likes tying knots and trying new things is good for a healing mind. He’s incredibly bright, Roman.”

“I know that.”

Patton nodded and Roman tried not to think about how stiff this moment felt, like a conference in school. The door opened and Roman turned slightly to smile as Virgil met his gaze, “Ro!”

“Hey Kitten.”

Virgil crossed the room quickly, climbing into Roman’s lap and embrace without a second thought. Roman hugged him tightly as Virgil’s arms slipped around his shoulders. Virgil smelled like home and Roman felt his chest finally settle. He had to get used to leaving Virgil in the arms of someone else. It had to get easier eventually.

… right…?

Roman eased a hand over Virgil’s ears, scratching behind them as Virgil pushed heavily into his hand, “How was class?”

“Long. Boring.”

“What’d you learn about?”

“Nothing. Just syllabus stuff,” Roman smiled, “But I heard that you’re learning how to knit.”

Virgil immediately perked up. Ears sitting up straight as his tail twitched through the air, “Yeah. It’s… hard but I’m getting it. My needles are purple too.”

“That’s fantastic, Virgil.”

Virgil nodded and slipped off Roman’s lap to gather his things, sliding his newfound hobby into his backpack and putting on his hoodie. Roman glanced at Patton, who smiled softly as Virgil tugged his beanie on. The shine of his license against his black shirt gave Roman a reason to smile. It was a small reason but that license was enough information to make sure that if Virgil went missing again or got lost, people would know that he had a family that was worried for him, that was missing him. Virgil pulled on his backpack and looked up at Roman, “Are we going?”

Roman looked down at him and glanced at Patton, “uh… sure?”

Virgil nodded, “Bye, Patton!”

Patton waved with a giggle as Roman let Virgil take his hand and lead him out of the office. Roman got Virgil situated in a cab and tried not to laugh as he immediately crawled right back over to him. Roman stroked his hair, letting the drive pass quietly. It was only when Virgil had been settled back into the apartment and the hybrid was struggling to start knitting again in the armchair that Roman finally sat on the couch, leaving tea on Virgil’s right side, “Was your day okay?”

Virgil barely glanced up, “Yeah. Patton helped me feel better when I got nervous and Drew was really nice.”

“Yeah. They really liked you. Did you have an attack…?”

Virgil shook his head, “No. When I was starting to feel bad, Patton took me to his office. It’s quiet in there and I could start trying to knit again.”

Roman nodded slowly, “That’s good. You… like knitting then?”

Virgil nodded immediately, looking up, “It’s nice. Every stitch is important in holding it all together and figuring it out is good. It’s like my brain is… it’s like… It’s… I’m not sure how to explain it.”

“It’s okay. Just take your time.”

Virgil looked down at the yarn and needles in his hands, the needles slowly moving, “It’s like… every stitch is helping me put my brain back together. Not quite healing but… it helps me feel better.”

Roman couldn’t fight his smile, “That’s good. It’s good that it’s helping you feel better.”

Virgil glanced over at him and smiled. It was heartbreakingly beautiful and Roman leaned over to scratch Virgil’s ears. Virgil giggled, purring starting to roll through his body. Roman stood, situating Virgil on his lap. Virgil leaned into his embrace and kept up his attempting to knit. Roman watched quietly as Virgil’s fingers started working. There was quiet clicking as the needles hit each other and Roman felt himself start to nod off. He held Virgil close, felt the purring underneath his fingertips and in his heart. It was calming and, as he was about to slip away, he felt Virgil’s ears brush his cheek and his nose press into his skin. It was so warm and Roman was asleep before he had the chance to embrace his love closer to his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY! I'VE BEEN GONE FOR SO LONG AND I'M SORRY. 
> 
> Do not worry. I am here and I am safe and healthy. I hope you all are as well. I'm not sure how many of you are in the US (like I am), but PLEASE stay safe during these troubling times! I'm here for you all.
> 
> Welcome back to Stray Hearts and watch our boys try to fix each other. 
> 
> I love you all 
> 
> *insert shameless plug here*
> 
> ;)


	31. Maybe... It's Okay to Get Help

Virgil’s fingers plucked at the yarn, pulling a missed stitch away from his needles. Roman watched curiously. It had been nearly two weeks since he had started his escapade into knitting and Virgil had fallen headfirst into it. He had finished his first project, a small potholder than he had wrinkled his nose at until Patton had started using it as he was cooking. Virgil’s ears twitched slightly and then looked up as the front door opened. “... Hey…”

Roman looked up with a small smile, “Hey Dolos.”

Dolos glanced around the room, his small sidebag hanging from his shoulder. Virgil smiled, “Dolo!”

Dolos’ smile was small and warm. Roman had mentioned Virgil’s new obsession with knitting while at lunch with Remus and Dolos and Remus jumped on it. He shook Dolos out of his stupor, “DeeDee! The kitty is learning how to knit! You could teach him!”

That’s when it started. Dolos started to come over every so often and helped Virgil how to figure out different stitches and patterns. Dolos sat on the other side of Virgil, pulling out his own project, a green and black scarf for Remus. Virgil watched the yellow knitting needles work with swiveling ears and a twitching tail. It took a moment before Virgil started working on his own knitting, watching Dolos work out of the corner of his eye. Roman stood, going to make Dolos and Virgil tea. He stood in the kitchen, waiting for the water to boil when he heard Dolos speak softly, “See? Right there. You missed a stitch.”

Virgil whined, frustrated, “I always do that.”

Dolos chuckled quietly, “You’re only just beginning. I still miss stitches sometimes. You just have to go back and fix it. It’s a simple mistake.”

Roman smiled to himself as he started pouring the tea. It had gotten easier to leave Virgil with Patton, letting the vet take his hybrid into a type of therapist, Aiden Griggs. Roman knew that name, a person who had helped find the missing pieces to Warren’s story. Virgil had… started to progress, started figuring out his head, started to pull words together to even tell Roman what he was feeling. Logan had offered Roman the number of his old therapist, a woman by the name of Orianne Lane. He couldn’t accept it. Maybe he should… Roman shook his head as he picked up the mugs to take the tea to the two knitters in the living room. 

\--------------------///--------------------

“ROMAN!”

Roman spun, “VIRGIL!”

It was dark all around him. That’s all Roman could really process. It was so dark and Virgil was screaming for him somewhere nearby. Roman pushed past invisible obstacles, trying to make it back to his precious hybrid. He was so close. 

So  _ CLOSE!  _

Where was he? Roman climbed over whatever was in front of him and yelled out for Virgil as he saw the hybrid on the ground. Virgil looked over at him, eyes wide and terrified, “ _ ROMAN! _ ”

“I’m coming, Virgil! I’m coming-!” 

Virgil screamed as something tugged him further into the darkness, “HELP!  _ ROMAN, HELP ME!” _

Roman snapped awake, breathing heavily. He blinked up at… Virgil. “... Virgil…?”

“You were talking in your sleep,” Virgil explained, “I had to wake you up.”

“Are… Are you okay?”

Virgil nodded, “I’m fine. Did you have a nightmare?”

“No.”

Virgil’s ears twitched and he raised an eyebrow. Roman felt his confidence in his lying ability shrink. “... Really?”

“Y-Yeah?”

“Wanna try that again?”

Roman nearly choked at the call out. He took a deep breath, “... Yeah. I had a nightmare.”

“About what?”

Roman slowly ran a hand down Virgil’s arm, “Why does it matter?”

Virgil’s voice was soft, “You were screaming for me in your sleep.”

Roman felt like his breath had been punched out of his chest. He hadn’t known that. Virgil watched him silently, blue and brown eyes glittering in the low light of the fairylights. Roman struggled to catch his breath before, “... I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to-”

Virgil shook his head, shushing him, “Ro… you let me go to therapy…”

“Yeah?”

Virgil needed therapy. His episodes had lessened and had become less regular as the routine returned but therapy was necessary. Convincing him to start going was hard. It took Roman, Patton, and Logan to convince Virgil to start. He was better for it, learning new coping mechanisms, teaching himself how to handle scary things on his own. Virgil’s voice was gentle but probing, “Why won’t you let yourself go to therapy…? You let me go but won’t go yourself? You’re having nightmares and I know you get really worried about me when you have to drop me off at Patton’s office. Maybe you have a hurt head too…”

Roman’s eyes filled with tears. Maybe he did but he thought that he had done a good job at hiding it from Virgil. Virgil’s eyes widened at the tears and his fingertips slowly started wiping them away from Roman’s cheeks. Roman swallowed thickly, “... I guess… I should go, huh? If you think it’s a good idea?”

Virgil nodded, “I do… You can do this. You’re a lot braver than I am.”

That wasn’t true. 

That wasn’t true in the slightest.

Virgil was so much braver than Roman ever was, ever could be. Roman nodded anyway, “Thank you, Kitten. But we should probably get some sleep.” 

Virgil nodded back and settled onto Roman’s chest. Roman laid awake for a second before closing his eyes. Virgil was right there… It was okay. 

Morning came around quickly and Roman forced himself to pick up his phone. It rang for a moment before,  _ “Hello! This is Orianne Lane’s office. How can I help you?” _

“Hi… This is Roman Prince… I was wondering if… if I could set up an appointment with Miss Lane…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to warn you all that the end is coming for Stray Hearts and for over 30 chapters, I do think I'll be able to do it justice. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading and I hope you like the upcoming chapters!


	32. Headfirst

Roman wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he walked into Orianne Lane’s office. Maybe pastel colors or… something? It wasn’t pastel or dark colors. It was just simple, soft colors and comfy seats as he waited for his name to be called. He tapped his fingers against his knee, fishing out his phone. 

** _Message from _ ** **📚** ** _Logan_ ** **📚**

_ Good luck. Miss Lane is wonderful. _

** _Message from _ ** **💜☔** ** _Virgil_ ** **💜☔**

_ I’m at Patton’s office. I wanted to wish you good luck with your appointment. The first one was the hardest for me but it gets better. _

Roman smiled. Virgil had started to get a lot better. He still hated loud noises and still had nightmares but none that would wake him up screaming. They were quick startles as Virgil snapped awake, looked around, and then laid back down with little to no complaints or tears. Yes, Roman was unbelievably proud but the prospect of him, as Virgil’s primary caretaker, having to go to therapy for something that didn’t even happen to him seemed a little… out there. Yet, here he was, sitting in the waiting room. The door opened, “Roman Prince?”

Roman looked up and found himself standing and walking over to the woman standing at the door, “I’m… I’m Roman Prince.”

The woman smiled softly, “Just down the hall, Mr. Prince. Miss Lane will be there in a moment.”

Roman followed the directions to the room down the hall, slowly sitting in the plush armchair. His palms were sweaty as he rubbed them on his jeans. He was nervous.  _ This is stupid.  _ He shouldn’t be nervous. Virgil did this a hundred times and he had almost not gone to the first meeting at all. He had gotten through that door all by himself. Roman had paced the whole time he was in that room.

Roman had settled on fidgeting with his phone, turning it in his hands as he waited. The door opened and Roman looked up. The woman standing in the doorway had blonde hair tied up in a neat ponytail with soft brown eyes. She smiled, closing the door behind her, “Hi. You must be Roman. I’m Orianne Lane.”

“... Hi…”

Orianne sat in the chair opposite of Roman, a small notepad and pen in her lap, “Is it alright if I take notes?”

Roman shifted uncomfortably in his chair, “... Yeah.”

The therapist in front of him just nodded simply, opening the notepad. It was quiet for another moment before she looked back up at him, “Alright, Roman. Can you tell me what’s been going on?”

Roman shrugged, “I-... I’m not sure. Nightmares.”

“Nightmares?”

“Yeah. A lot of nightmares.”

“What about?”

“...” Roman swallowed thickly, “I- a lot.”

Orianne watched for just a moment before jotting something down in her notebook, “You’re not ready to talk about it?”

“No. Not… Not really… I don’t even know how to… start really,” Roman chuckled humorlessly at himself.

“Well, why don’t we start from the beginning?”

“The beginning?”

“Yes. The very beginning.”

Roman let out a slow breath, “... okay… Well… I-... About six months ago, I-... I adopted a hybrid off the street. Virgil. And… um… he was in a… bad home. He was scared of everything and I just wanted to help him. So I did… and he got a lot better but then… he-...”

Orianne’s face contorted into something that looked like sympathy, “He went missing, right? I saw in the papers.”

“He got kidnapped by his old owner… and the police wouldn’t help. I screamed and cried for them to help and they just wouldn’t.”

“How did you find out that he was missing?”

“I went to go get him for a cup of his tea and he was just… gone. Warren-” Roman’s voice caught in his throat, “Virgil’s old owner grabbed him from my bed…”

“I’m sure that was very shocking.”

“Yeah… I… I blamed myself when he went missing. I know that.”

“Do you still think that?”

“I-... I’m not sure. All I know is that my nightmares are getting worse and they’re always-... I can never get to Virgil fast enough. He either disappears or gets hurt and,” There were tears on Roman’s cheeks, “I can never save him. And I’m here because I woke Virgil up screaming and he told me to get some help. It’s stupid. I didn’t even get hurt like Virgil did. I shouldn’t have nightmares.”

“Roman… You having nightmares isn’t stupid and you may not have been hurt physically but you had your hybrid, who I’m sure is very important to you, taken from your bed. That’s a lasting mark on your mind. Whether you believe it or not, you have been hurt mentally. Is Virgil in therapy for his experiences?”

“... Yes.”

“Then you have every right to be here as well. That’s why I’m here.”

Roman wiped at his cheeks, trying to calm his breathing, “Okay… Okay…”

“Do you wanna tell me a little bit about Virgil?”

Roman looked up at Orianne. He had a feeling that this was a way to open up to her, talk about Virgil and get him to just keep talking. A clever trick, one that would work too. Roman let out a breath, “Virgil is… amazing.”

He wasn’t sure how long he had been talking until Orianne gently interrupted him with a quiet epiphany, “You’re in love with him.”

Roman’s face flushed, “I-... You must think I’m so stupid.”

“No. Not at all. Hybrids are designed to be companions. Many owners fall in love with their hybrids and there are times that the hybrid feels the same way.”

“Hybrids can fall in love with their owners?”

“Of course, they can. They have human emotions. It varies from case to case. My hybrid is very important to me. It seems as though it is the same for you just a bit stronger.”

“It’s not right.”

“Sure, it is.”

“What?”

Orianne smiled softly, “Roman, if you love Virgil for who he is, for his mind, no matter the damage, then it’s perfectly right.”

Roman fiddled with the hem of his shirt, “You really think so?”

“I do. Relationships require work and it will take a lot of work but I do think you’re strong enough to handle it. As long as you and Virgil are ready to work for this, it can work.”

Roman nodded slowly, “Okay… Okay… I’ll-... I’ll think about it.”

“Very good. … Now about those nightmares?”

\--------------------///--------------------

Roman came home after the first session with his chest feeling lighter than it had in months. Virgil was cuddled up in a mound of blankets, cocooned up as he knitted away at the gold and red scarf on his needles. The tv was on, a documentary playing quietly in the background. Virgil looked up as the door opened, ears twitching as Roman came around the corner. His smile was heartbreaking, “Ro!”

“Hey, Kitten.”

Virgil scooted over, patting the space next to him. Roman took the seat easily, letting the hybrid shuffle into his embrace. Roman draped an arm over Virgil’s shoulders, watching the needles start working again, “How was your appointment?”

“Good… It was good.”

Virgil looked up, mismatched eyes sparkling in the living room lights, “Do-... do you feel better?”

Roman’s smile softened, “Yeah, V… I feel a little better.”

Virgil nodded once with a proud smile, “Good.”

He went back to knitting, head nestled into the crook of Roman’s shoulder. Roman looked back at the television, “What’s this about?”

“The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.”

Roman looked down at Virgil with a chuckle, “I think that’s your favorite empire.”

“Mmh. A little.”

“Gee, I wonder why.”

Virgil’s lips were quirked up in a teasing grin and Roman’s heart pounded in his chest. Maybe Orianne was right. Maybe Roman was falling headfirst into this but by all the theater musicals under Roman’s belt, he was falling happily. Roman leaned his head against Virgil’s, feeling the hybrid’s ears twitch under his chin. “ _ ... if you love Virgil for who he is, for his mind, no matter the damage, then it’s perfectly right.” _

Roman closed his eyes, listening to the quiet clicking of Virgil’s needles. He let out a slow breath.  _ I love you.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took forever and I'm so sorry. 
> 
> Pls forgive me orz
> 
> I love reading your comments and thank you for sticking with me.
> 
> Quarantine has been a bitch and I've been struggling with my mental health as of late but that's a-okay. I feel a bit better now. So we're continuing with the story! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	33. Heartfirst

Roman scanned the script in front of him. The words were starting to blend together. The show had finished earlier on in the night, his professor passing the actors with flying colors and yet... He glanced at his watch, 8:30. He sighed softly, looking back at the two student directors that were still arguing with each other. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he fished it out.

** _Message From _ ** **💜** ** _Virgil_ ** **💜**

_ When are you coming home? _

** _Message To _ ** **💜** ** _Virgil_ ** **💜**

_ I’m not sure, Vi. Can you try to get some sleep? _

** _Message From _ ** **💜** ** _Virgil_ ** **💜**

_ Not until you come home. _

** _Message To _ ** **💜** ** _Virgil_ ** **💜**

_ I’ll see you when I get home then… _

Roman let out a breath, flipping through the last few pages of the script before looking over at one of his fellow actors, leaning over to mutter, “Are they going to keep arguing or do you think we’ll actually get to go home tonight?”

The student, Arran, laughed softly, “Oh, I do not know. I already texted my girlfriend. I had to tell her to start movie night without me.”

Roman hissed jokingly in sympathy, “I’m so sorry. I just texted my hybrid. Told him to not wait up.”

Arran nodded, looking back at the arguing directors, “It’s like watching a petty catfight.”

Roman chuckled and nodded in agreement, “Oh definitely.”

Arran offered a hand in condolences. Roman took it with a small smile.

It was nearly 11 when Roman finally opened the door to the apartment. He looked over and blinked, “Logan? What are you still doing awake?”

“Couldn’t sleep and I’m working on homework.”

“Where’s Virgil?”

“In bed. Asleep, I hope.”

Roman nodded, casting a quiet good night over his shoulder as he moved into the hallway. His door opened silently but Virgil shot up, ears upright. He smiled brightly, opening his arms, “Ro!”

Roman sighed softly but reached over anyway to hug Virgil, “Vi… why aren’t you asleep?”

Virgil buried his face into Roman’s shoulder. A soft purring started to roll from his chest as he spoke quietly, “Didn’t want to sleep without you.”

Roman gently stroked the back of Virgil’s hair, “Okay. Okay. Let me get into my pajamas.”

Virgil slowly pulled away and nodded, laying back into his pillows. Roman started getting changed, tugging his shirt on over his head. When he climbed into bed, Virgil seemed half-asleep already. Roman slowly pulled the hybrid to him, smiling as he trilled quietly. The purring was soft as Roman kept petting Virgil’s hair. Virgil slowly went limp in his owner’s embrace, falling asleep. It went silent in the room and Roman closed his eyes, tucking Virgil a little closer. Therapy had helped a lot. Dropping Virgil off with Patton didn’t feel like a death wish. It was just a little bit of time apart and Virgil always smiled when Roman picked him up. Virgil got better and better as his therapy progressed. Knitting was becoming a hobby that he did when he needed to pass the time, not for when his hands shook and his head got too loud. Roman nuzzled into Virgil’s hair and let unconsciousness crash over him. 

Saturdays always started slow. Roman slowly pried his eyes open, staring at the empty bed next to him. Okay, Saturdays started slow for  _ Roman _ . Virgil woke up early and immediately went to help Logan and Patton with breakfast. Roman let out a breath, groaning as he stretched before flopping back into his pillows. The smell of bacon and waffles started drifting through the closed door and a part of Roman wanted to get up but… the bed was comfortable. He closed his eyes, ready to go back to sleep.

That was until the door slowly opened and soft footsteps before the mattress dipped and Virgil popped into Roman’s field of vision, “Good morning.”

“... morning…”

“I brought you coffee.”

Roman chuckled softly, “Well… aren’t you just sent from heaven?”

Virgil smiled and offered the mug to Roman, “It hurt when I crawled here from hell,” Roman’s gaze snapped to Virgil as the hybrid’s smile grew and he offered the mug one more time, “Here you go.”

Roman slowly took the mug, “So we’re doing dark humor now?”

Virgil nodded with a hum, “Yeah. We are.”

“... Okay.”

“Breakfast is ready whenever you want to get out of bed.”

Roman nodded and watched as Virgil padded out of the room. Roman couldn’t stop his smile from breaking out as he watched the bright red of his hoodie disappear behind the door. He chuckled to himself, shaking his head as he sipped from his mug. It took a little bit before he pushed himself out of bed. He stumbled out to the kitchen and smiled as Virgil looked up, fork sticking out of his mouth. Logan smiled, “Well… Good morning, Roman.”

“Don’t start, Lo,” Roman whined, “Please. I was just sleeping.”

“It’s 10:30.”

Roman stuck his tongue out at his friend, gathering a plate of food for himself and sitting next to Virgil. Patton joined them after a moment, hair damp from a shower. He smiled at Roman, much more kindly than Logan had, “Good morning, Roman!”

“Good morning, Patton.”

“How was your night?”

“Good. It was good. Well, kinda. The two student directors wouldn’t stop arguing. We got a good grade but they just kept arguing. It was like watching two- what are you doing?”

Virgil looked up, half-frozen from where he was climbing into Roman’s lap, “... Getting… comfy?”

Roman blinked before he nodded and let Virgil continue his climb, “Anyway, they were arguing and it was like watching toddlers argue over toys.”

Virgil’s head rested against Roman’s shoulder and he gently ran a hand across the hybrid’s back on instinct, smiling at the soft purring that sank into the air. Patton smiled softly, taking a bite of his toast, “They sound stubborn.”

Roman nodded once more, taking another bite of his breakfast, “You can say that again.”

Patton glanced at his watch, “Oh! I have to go. I’m gonna be late.”

Patton stood on his toes to kiss Logan’s cheek, “I’ll see you later, Sunshine.”

Logan smiled softly, a hand resting on the small of Patton’s back. Virgil looked over, “Patton, can you pick up some gold yarn?”

Patton’s smile was warm and he slowly nodded, “Of course, Virgil.”

Patton glanced over at Roman and he was shoved into his memories.

_ Patton cornered him after a long night of rehearsal. Roman had been exhausted and really just wanted to crawl into bed with Virgil, “What? Patton, what?” _

_ “Where have you been?!” _

_ “Rehearsals? What’s going on?” _

_ Patton crossed his arms over his chest, “Virgil has been up and down all night from nightmares,” His eyebrow raised, “Did Virgil not call you?” _

_ Alarm pulsed through Roman’s system, “No. Is he in bed?” _

_ “Yeah. Roman, do you still-?” _

_ Roman didn’t let him finish his question, “Yes. Yeah. I still.” _

_ Patton nodded slowly, “Are you gonna-?” _

_ “Maybe. I don’t know yet, Patton. Look. You started this conversation all wrong. I’m worried about Vi. Can I go?” _

_ “... yeah. Sorry.” _

_ “It’s fine, Padre.” _

_ Roman made his way to the bathroom, changing into his sweatpants before pushing into his room. Virgil was curled into the blankets and pillows, looking as small and as helpless as he did the first time that Roman saw him. Roman slowly crawled into bed, wrapping an arm around Virgil’s waist. The hybrid snapped awake with a sharp gasp, head whipping to face Roman. The human shushed him gently, “Hey… It’s just me. It’s okay.” _

_ Virgil’s eyes slowly focused on Roman, scrubbing at his face, “Ro?” _

_ “Yeah. It’s me. I’m home.” _

_ Virgil nodded, nuzzling into his embrace, “... okay…” _

_ “Why didn’t you call me when you started having nightmares?” _

_ Virgil stiffened, “I-... I didn’t wanna bother you during rehearsals.” _

_ Roman sighed, “Virgil… you’re supposed to bother me. Next time, call me. Okay? I’ll come home.” _

_ Virgil nodded again, slowly pressing his nose into Roman’s collarbone, “... I will.” _

_ “Good. You never bother me, Kitten. I’m supposed to be here for you. And that’s precisely what I will do.” _

Roman blinked as he felt Virgil shift, stealing a piece of bacon from his plate. Roman chuckled softly at the action, heart full, “Have a good day, Patton.”

“You too, Ro. See you guys later.”

Logan walked Patton to the door as Virgil hopped off of his place on Roman’s lap, clearing his plate and retrieving his mug of tea from the counter before wandering out of the room. Roman finished his breakfast and went to join Virgil after he did the dishes, “Alright, Kitten. What’re we watching today?”

“Lord of the Rings.”

“... Why am I not surprised,” Roman teased gently, taking his spot next to Virgil as the hybrid fished his knitting out of his bag.

The soft chuckle he got from Virgil was worth it anyway.

Virgil bunched a pillow up under his chest as he laid in bed. It was nearly ten at night. Roman and he had spent the day watching movies. It wasn’t a strange way to spend their Saturdays. Roman liked being lazy most Saturdays. Sometimes, he worked out or went on runs or even walked with Virgil to the park. Today, however, they laid out on the couches- Roman actually fell asleep on the floor at one point- and watched a few too many movies. Virgil’s head was spinning as the last movie ended, a finished navy and gray scarf sitting in his lap. Virgil had stored the scarf away and stumbled towards the bedroom. Roman looked over from his spot on the floor, “Where you going, Kitten?”

“... Lay down… read a book? My eyes hurt.”

Roman chuckled, “Need me to come with you?”

“No. No. I’m okay.”

Virgil rubbed at his eyes as he closed the book. He was starting to get a headache and the door opened. Virgil glanced over his shoulder, heart pounding as Roman ran a hand through his hair. Roman smiled softly as their gazes met, “Hey. How do your eyes feel?”

“... uh. Well, my head kinda hurts?”

“Uh-oh. Maybe we should cut the movies down to three a day,” Roman chuckled, sitting on the edge of the mattress and petting Virgil’s hair, “I don’t want you to keep getting headaches.”

“But I finished the scarf.”

“You did! It looks good too.”

Virgil nodded with a bright smile, “It does.”

It fell silent as Roman settled in for the night. Virgil put the book on the nightstand, squirming to lay down properly. Roman looked over at Virgil as the hybrid squirmed, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Just getting comfy…”

Virgil’s thoughts died slowly as he met Roman’s soft gaze. He blinked quickly and looked away, the emeralds in Roman’s eyes had always been distracting but, ever since Patton had asked him how he felt and his own therapist had told him to not be afraid of his emotions, they had been more and more… beautiful than usual. Roman was quiet for a moment before, “Virgil…? Are you alright?”

Virgil nodded after a moment, “Um… yeah.”

“You sure? Do you need to talk about something?”

Virgil shook his head before looking back over at Roman, “No- I-... Well, actually-... nothing. Nothing. It’s stupid.”

Roman sighed, bracing himself up on his elbow, “Hey. Vi, talk to me. Just talk to me. Is something upsetting you?”

“No. Nothing’s upsetting me. It’s just-”  _ Don’t be such a coward,  _ “... It’s really nothing.”

“Alright…”

It fell silent as they looked at each other. Roman’s gaze flashed across Virgil’s form, probably checking over for any visible injuries. Roman sighed quietly and Virgil scraped together the last threads of his confidence and sat up, “Actually,” Roman’s gaze snapped to him once more, “I-... well, I-... Roman, I-”

Roman raised an eyebrow, “Kitten, are you-”

“I’m fine. I just-” Virgil stuffed his face into his sleeves- he couldn’t look at Roman while he did this, terrified to see the disgust pass over Roman’s face- spitting out his feelings, “I really like you. I really,  _ really _ like you. Like I think I might be in love with you. No. I know I’m in love with you,” Roman froze next to him, “And I don’t-... I don’t know if that’s okay. I just-... I don’t want to keep lying to you,” Virgil’s voice cracked, “I don’t want you to hate me-”

“Virgil…”

“Roman, I’m so sorry-”

“Virgil, stop… calm down.”

Virgil half-sobbed as Roman gently tugged him into his arms, “I don’t- I’m sorry-!”

Roman shushed him softly, nuzzling into his hair, “Virgil… Kitten, it’s okay. I-... I know I’m in love with you too… It’s alright.”

Virgil’s breath caught in his throat, “You… You do?”

“Yeah. I do.”

“But, I-”

Roman’s lips brushed against his forehead, “Hey. We’ll figure it out. Okay? We’ll work together. Please, stop crying, Mi Amor.”

Virgil hiccuped, scrubbing at his eyes, “...’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologize. You were just following your heart. There’s nothing to be sorry for. I care about you. I really, really do. I’m here, Love.”

Virgil knew that he was ridiculously vulnerable as he laid in Roman’s arms and tried to wipe his cheeks dry but, “... Roman…?”

“Yeah?”

“Can-... will you… will you kiss me?”

Roman’s hand softly skated down Virgil’s arm, “Are you sure?”

Virgil nodded slowly, “Just-... a little one. I just want to know how it feels…”

Roman sighed quietly. A hand cupped Virgil’s cheek, drawing his gaze upward to Roman. “Just a little one?”

Virgil nodded, “Mmhmm.”

“Sorry… I just want to be sure, Kitten.”

Virgil nodded again, “... I know.”

Roman smiled softly, drawing Virgil close. Virgil’s eyes closed as Roman’s lips brushed against his, warm and soft. Warmth flooded Virgil’s chest as Roman tilted his head, capturing Virgil’s bottom lip between his. There were no cliche firework feelings in his chest, just a comfort that washed over him like a wave. Roman slowly pulled away with a soft smile, “Good?”

Virgil hummed and cuddled a little closer, drinking in the cinnamon that rolled off of Roman, comforting as ever, “Yeah… Thank you…”

Roman chuckled as Virgil put his head down on his pillows, “Get some rest, Kitten… I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Virgil nodded, wrapping his arms around Roman’s shoulders and pressing even closer. He closed his eyes and sank into Roman’s arms, smiling softly as he felt Roman’s lips press against Virgil’s forehead one more time before he was asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy. I hope you guys like this chapter.
> 
> Next chapter will be the final one (The Epilogue). Don't worry. I'll make it a good one ;)
> 
> I love you guys. Thank you for being so patient!


	34. Settled Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the last chapter.
> 
> Enjoy
> 
> :)
> 
> (This occurs the winter after last chapter. Basically One Year Has Passed)

Roman woke up to cold hands cupping his cheeks and he jolted, looking up, “... Virgil? What are you doing?”

Virgil’s eyes glittered and he kissed the tip of Roman’s nose, “It’s snowing and I don’t want to go without you.”

Roman chuckled softly and looked over at their packed suitcases, “Don’t we have a flight to catch?”

“In like… three hours. C’mon, Roman…! We can go on a short walk.”

Roman sighed, “Kitten…”

It went quiet for a moment before Virgil pouted -Roman felt his willpower start to crumble- and then whined softly, “Ro… please?”

_ Oh… goddamn it…  _ “Fine. Fine. But not for too long.”

Virgil smiled before scrambling out of bed. Roman sat up, watching as Virgil tugged his winter clothing out of the closet. Roman rested his head on his hand as he sighed. Virgil looked over his shoulder and smiled, “What?”

“I think you have a bit too much power.”

Virgil’s smile got nearly shit-eating, “Now that’s just ridiculous. Power? What power?”

“Oh. I think you know.”

Virgil shrugged, tugging on a purple sweater, “Maybe. Maybe not. Put on a sweater, Roman. Come on.”

Roman chuckled to himself and pushed out of bed, “Don’t forget to put on a beanie. You’re all healthy right now. I don’t want you to get a cold.”

Virgil scrunched his nose, “I won’t.”

Virgil closed the door of the bedroom behind him as Roman started to tug off his shirt. 

The walk towards the park was quiet as they walked arm in arm. Virgil still watched the snow like he did the first day out of the hospital. The white dots looked like stars against his black hair. It was calm as Roman watched the small flurry of white fluff spiral through the air. Logan and Patton had decided to join them at the last second and Roman turned his head to watch as the older two walked, Patton kicking up small puffs of snow. The park was so peaceful until Patton nailed Roman’s back with a snowball. 

Virgil sat next to Logan as they watched their loves roll in the snow. Virgil tugged at his gloves as he looked up at Logan, “Aren’t they going to hurt each other?”

Logan shook his head and then sighed as Patton shoved Roman into a snowbank, “They won’t hurt each other. … One of them might get sick but… they almost always do during the winter.”

Virgil nodded slowly and muffled a laugh as Roman sat up, hair sticking up and nearly covered in the white powder. Roman tripped as he tried to stand, immediately plowing into Patton and knocking them both to the ground. Laughter spun out from the pile on the ground as the two friends untangled themselves and stood. Virgil looked over at Roman with a small smile as Roman tried to fix his hair, throwing snow away from his scalp. Virgil shook his head, “Ro… you missed a huge spot.”

“I did?”

Virgil nodded, beckoning Roman forward. Roman squatted down, tilting his head towards Virgil. Virgil giggled softly, brushing the final snow away from Roman’s hair. Virgil moved his hands from the brown locks to Roman’s cheeks, red from the cold, “Why didn’t you grab a beanie? You look cold.”

Roman shrugged with a smile, “I like the cold.”

“No, you don’t. You sleep with like three blankets just so you aren’t cold.”

“You like my blanket habit.”

Virgil rolled his eyes, kissing Roman’s nose swiftly, “Yeah. I do.”

Roman’s smile was warm until his watch beeped and he chuckled, “We have to get to the airport.”

Virgil whined, “Aw… but I’m having fun. I don’t want to get on a plane.”

“I know, Mi Cielito,” Roman rubbed his thumb across Virgil’s knee, “You know I’ll get you melatonin.”

Of course, Virgil knew that. “... It still doesn’t-... I don’t like planes.”

“I know. Just trust me.”

“I do.”

Roman held Virgil close as the hybrid slept in his arms. The plane was just about to take off and Virgil had taken the melatonin without a complaint and now, he was asleep. Roman sighed softly as he relaxed into his seat. It was his last semester of college, he was excited but this Christmas break was everything that he needed. What Virgil needed too. What they needed. It was so peaceful at home. Maria had promised a quieter Christmas but… Roman wasn’t even worried if some cousins did show up. Virgil had become well acquainted with the family over the summer. Roman closed his eyes, leaning his head back and drifting off.

Virgil ran to hug Maria at the gate, pulling his hand from Roman’s without a moment of hesitation when Maria smiled big, “Conejito!”

Roman smiled softly as his mother dotted on Virgil, gently stroking his hair and ears with quiet, Spanish praises. Roman joined them quickly, kissing his mother’s cheek, “Mamá.”

“Principito! Look at how good you two look.”

Roman chuckled as Virgil’s cheeks flushed, “Thank you, Mamá.”

“Well, c’mon you two. We have a tree to decorate!”

Virgil bounced quietly in his seat as he watched the passing scenery. Roman chuckled softly, putting a hand on his knee, “Virgil, Mi Amor, easy.”

Virgil scrunched his nose, sticking his tongue out at Roman. He stopped bouncing anyway, swinging one of his legs instead. 

After dropping their bags in Roman’s childhood room, Maria cornered them into the living room. Decorating the tree was always Roman’s favorite part of Christmas and Virgil seemed very happy to hang the ornaments off the evergreen. Pictures were a must as the decorations went up, a family tradition. Roman knew for sure that framed photos of Virgil and him would start appearing on the walls and shelves. “Roman!”

Roman blinked, looking over as Virgil’s voice dragged him out of his thoughts, “Yes?”

Virgil smiled brilliantly, holding up the star, “Can you help me?”

“Oh. Yeah. Of course.”

Maria chuckled from the background as Roman easily hoisted Virgil onto one of his shoulders, holding onto his legs. Virgil gently placed the star on top, looking over at Maria, “Is it straight?”

“Yes, Conejito. It looks wonderful.”

Virgil grinned and looked down at Roman. It was quiet for a moment before Virgil leaned down, brushing his lips against Roman’s for a second. Roman sighed softly before slowly placing Virgil back on the ground, “Good job, Kitten.”

Virgil giggled softly, nuzzling into Roman’s embrace, “I think it looks nice.”

Roman smiled, hiding his grin in Virgil’s hair, “It does.”

——————————///——————————

Roman woke up on Christmas morning to the light of the dawn sun creeping through the window. It wasn’t new to wake up this early on Christmas morning. Excitement and adrenaline courses through him and he really did just want to get up and go to the tree. A weight against his chest stopped him. Virgil was curled into his embrace, ears twitching as he dreamt. Roman watched, somewhat entertained as his tail twitched slightly. Virgil huffed slightly, nudging further into Roman’s collarbone. He was stretched across Roman’s entire chest. It wasn’t uncommon for Virgil to eagle-spread across the bed nowadays but he still loved cuddles too much to push Roman away. Roman chuckled softly as Virgil stretched across his chest, nails scratching against Roman’s shirt.  _ Guess it can’t hurt to wait a little longer.  _ Roman wrapped an arm securely around Virgil’s shoulders, squeezing him slightly and closing his eyes.

He didn’t quite fall asleep again, drifting in between the living world and his dreams. It wasn’t until he felt Virgil squirm and started hearing noise from the living room that he opened his eyes fully, looking down, “Virgil? Honey, you awake?”

Virgil groaned, peeling his eyes open before looking up at Roman, “... Yeah…”

Roman smiled softly, “Merry Christmas, Love.”

Virgil’s returning smile was warm and comforting as he leaned up, kissing Roman gently, “Merry Christmas, Ro…”

It was quiet as Virgil settled back onto Roman’s chest. Peace washed over Roman as he squeezed Virgil slightly. Virgil’s ears twitched and he sat up, “Your mom is up.”

“... I will never not be jealous of your hearing.”

Virgil giggled softly, crawling out of the bed. Roman huffed in amusement as Virgil tugged on his hoodie, looking over his shoulder, “Roman, c’mon…! Presents!”

Roman went to get up when there was a knock on the door and Maria slowly peeked in, “Well. Good morning. Roman, I thought you would be up already. It’s time for presents.”

When Roman settled down on the loveseat near the tree, Virgil crawled his way into Roman’s arms. Diego sat on the couch, holding a steaming cup of coffee as Maria started handing out presents. Virgil accepted the first box. Roman was handed a box, smaller than Virgil’s, a small cube that didn’t have a lot of weight to it. Roman watched as Virgil opened his box with wide eyes, “... Whoa… Maria… Thank you.”

Roman glanced over and did a double take, “Whoa. Mom!”

Maria waved her hand, “Oh please. It’s not that much.”

“It’s a laptop?!”

“He’s an aspiring artist and you have a good laptop for school. Just let me spoil your boyfriend, okay?”

Roman’s cheeks flushed, “... Okay… okay,” He slowly worked open his own box, smiling at the white metal watch in the cushion, he examined the red face, “Mom… this is beautiful.”

Diego smiled, “It was time for you to move on from the plastic thing around your wrist.”

Roman chuckled at his father, sliding the watch onto his wrist. Virgil looked over and smiled brightly, “Whoa… It’s pretty.”

“You think so?”

Virgil nodded, taking Roman’s arm in his hands. He stared at the watch before his smile softened, “It’s really pretty.”

Virgil stumbled back into Roman’s room after a full day of socializing. He loved Roman’s family but they did get… loud. He trotted over to his bag, fishing Roman’s present from underneath his sweaters. He hadn’t gotten the chance to give it to Roman with the family and then the food and then other gifts. He had gotten to set his laptop up during a moment of peace before he was scooped up and thrown into a different party. Virgil crawled onto the bed, placing the package on the bed. He could hear Roman talking to his parents in the kitchen, the Spanish flowing through the air but he was getting closer. There was a quiet, “Good night, Mamá,” before the door opened. Virgil smiled, “Finally back?”

Roman offered an apologetic shrug, “Yeah. Sorry, Love. … What’s that?”

Virgil lifted the package, “Merry Christmas.”

Roman smiled softly, “Kitten… You didn’t have-”

“Yeah. Yeah. But I had money from working with Patton and I wanted to get you something.”

Roman held up a finger and retrieved a wrapped package from the closet, “I ordered this, had it shipped here,” He placed the package in Virgil’s lap, sitting next to him, “Here.”

Virgil handed Roman his smaller package, “You go first.”

Virgil’s chest twisted with worry until Roman opened the gift and smiled softly, “... Wow. Virgil… When did you find this?”

Virgil shrugged, fidgeting with his fingers, “I went with Logan. … Do you like it?”

Roman lifted the necklace out of the package. A silver dog tag hung from the chain, engraved with their initials on the back and a gold detailed crown on the front. Roman smiled, tugging the necklace over his head, “I love it. A crown?”

“Prince,” Virgil explained with a small smile, “You’re a Prince and a prince, like a fairy tale prince. You broke your mug with a crown on it. I thought getting you a crown that you can wear everyday would make your days a little better.”

Roman’s smile was heartbreaking and he leaned over, kissing Virgil’s cheek, “Thank you, Virgil… I’ll wear it forever. You next.”

Virgil slowly tore away the wrapping paper, setting it to the side to be gathered later. A chart of stars met his gaze. His eyebrows creased, “Roman, what’s-”

“I know you couldn’t see them but… that’s the night sky on the night that we first met. October 17th, New York City. I know this isn’t what you expected and I couldn’t think of what to get you but… I don’t think I’ll ever forget that night.”

Virgil looked up at Roman, “I know I’ll never forget it. You… really saved me.”

Roman’s hand cupped Virgil’s cheek, “Well, I’m here for you. No matter how many starry nights we see together.”

Virgil’s smile grew, “I do love it… It’s really pretty. We can frame it and hang it in the bedroom.”

“Yeah. We can.”

Roman’s lips met his, gently tugging him closer and closer. Virgil pressed into Roman easily, feeling his heart settle. Virgil pulled away slightly, leaning his forehead against Roman’s, “... I love you, Ro.”

“I love you too, Vi… I really, really do.”

Virgil smiled, cuddling impossibly closer to Roman.

He was never running away again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End.
> 
> I hope you guys liked how I wrapped this up. 
> 
> Stray Hearts has been a journey for me and one of the first stories that I've ever written within this Universe Type. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading and commenting and kudo-ing. 
> 
> Basically, thank you for everything. 
> 
> You guys have been the inspiration for this story since the beginning.
> 
> I love you guys so much.
> 
> Stay amazing!
> 
> Keep Reading!
> 
> As always, I'll you guys in the next story. ❤❤

**Author's Note:**

> My Twitter Account can be found [ Here](https://twitter.com/else555)!


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